Hemichorea and hemiballismus: recent concepts.

An unusual case of severe hemichorea in an elderly hypertensive woman, precipitating acute pulmonary edema, is presented. There were small cystic infarctions in the contralateral neostriatum and thalamus, and intact subthalamic nuclei. The clinicopathologic correlation of hemichorea and hemiballismus is reviewed, and its relationship with the results of recent neuroanatomic research is discussed.