title: Is anterior communicating artery syndrome related to fornix lesions?
abstract: Anterior communicating artery (ACoA) syndrome, which may occur after rupture of ACoA aneurysms, consists of anterograde memory problems, executive dysfunctions, confabulations, and personality changes. Recently, the employment of diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) has related ACoA to microstructural lesions in the cingulum and the fornix, but an accurate characterization of these subjects should be provided. We report the clinical and neuropsychological findings of a patient who developed a severe and persistent amnesia together with significant behavioral changes, as well as her imaging results, where the sole evidence of brain damage was that of the fornix demonstrated by DTT. The four-year neuropsychological follow-up of the subject allows exclusion of other causes. This case demonstrates that microstructural lesions of fornix may lead to persistent amnesia, executive impairments, and behavioral changes and contributes to the knowledge of its role in cognition.
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Unit, AORN A. Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy Centro di ricerche cliniche, telemedicina e telefarmacia, Universitá di Camerino, Italy.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Molino
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Fondazione SDN, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavaliere
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.affiliation: Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quarantelli
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Unit, AORN A. Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy Centro di ricerche cliniche, telemedicina e telefarmacia, Universitá di Camerino, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colucci
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Unit, AORN A. Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Angiola Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fasanaro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D020712:Fornix, Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Anterior communicating artery syndrome; cingulum; diffusion tensor tractography imaging; fornix