BACKGROUND: A 67-year-old man presented with acute onset of spatial and temporal disorientation, memory loss and associated episodic dyscontrol. Investigations showed infarctions of both caudate nuclei. This patient presented a unique opportunity to study the relationship between the lesions, his behaviour, and neuropsychological testing. METHOD: Single case report. Investigations included interviews to determine cognitive impairment, i.e. WAIS-R, MMSE, and neurological examination. RESULTS: Extensive neuropsychological testing revealed severe impairment on tasks requiring planning, memory or abstract thought. These findings are very similar to those seen in Huntington's disease. CONCLUSIONS: A neurobiological hypothesis is proposed to account for his symptoms, and recent discoveries in the basic sciences used to inform his management.
BACKGROUND: A 67-year-old man presented with acute onset of spatial and temporal disorientation, memory loss and associated episodic dyscontrol. Investigations showed infarctions of both caudate nuclei. This patient presented a unique opportunity to study the relationship between the lesions, his behaviour, and neuropsychological testing. METHOD: Single case report. Investigations included interviews to determine cognitive impairment, i.e. WAIS-R, MMSE, and neurological examination. RESULTS: Extensive neuropsychological testing revealed severe impairment on tasks requiring planning, memory or abstract thought. These findings are very similar to those seen in Huntington's disease. CONCLUSIONS: A neurobiological hypothesis is proposed to account for his symptoms, and recent discoveries in the basic sciences used to inform his management.
Authors: Simon Ducharme; James J Hudziak; Kelly N Botteron; Hooman Ganjavi; Claude Lepage; D Louis Collins; Matthew D Albaugh; Alan C Evans; Sherif Karama Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2011-04-30 Impact factor: 13.382
Authors: April D Thames; Jessica M Foley; Matthew J Wright; Stella E Panos; Mark Ettenhofer; Amir Ramezani; Vanessa Streiff; Suzie El-Saden; Scott Goodwin; Susan Y Bookheimer; Charles H Hinkin Journal: Neuropsychologia Date: 2011-12-28 Impact factor: 3.139