Executive dysfunction associated with stroke in the posterior cerebral artery territory. 2011

Key-Chung Park, and Sung-Sang Yoon, and Hak-Young Rhee
Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee Medical Center, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemoon-ku, Seoul 130 702, Korea. kcpark67@medimail.co.kr

Cognitive decline following posterior cerebral artery infarction (PCAI) is associated with lesions in the occipital lobe that extend into the parahippocampus or the splenium. We investigated patterns of neuropsychological deficits, including those causing executive dysfunction, associated with isolated lesions of the occipital lobe and with extensive lesions of the occipital lobe that extended into the splenium or the posterior ventral temporal lobes including the parahippocampus and fusiform gyrus. Eleven patients with unilateral PCAI involving the cerebral cortex and one patient with an occipital hemorrhage were selected for inclusion in this study. The mean age of the patients was 68.50 ± 7.94 years and their mean level of education was 8.58 ± 4.12 years. Four patients had isolated occipital lobe lesions and eight had lesions in either the splenium or the posterior ventral temporal lobe in addition to the occipital lobe. Whereas three of four patients with isolated occipital lobe lesions had left-sided lesions, only three of the eight patients with extended occipital lesions had left-sided lesions. The patients underwent a standardized battery of neuropsychological tests. The patients with occipital injuries in addition to splenial or posterior ventral temporal lobe injuries demonstrated performance decline across diverse cognitive domains, including memory (eight of eight), visuospatial function (eight of eight), executive function (seven of eight), language-related function (four of eight) and attention (one of eight). In contrast, memory impairment (three of four patients) was the only area in which patients with isolated occipital lobe lesions demonstrated decline in performance. Our findings suggest that strokes in the territory of the posterior cerebral artery are frequently associated with executive dysfunction. Injuries involving the splenium or posterior ventral temporal lobe in addition to the occipital lobe lead to more diverse neuropsychological impairments than do isolated occipital lobe injuries alone.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D003072 Cognition Disorders Disorders characterized by disturbances in mental processes related to learning, thinking, reasoning, and judgment. Overinclusion,Disorder, Cognition,Disorders, Cognition
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D056344 Executive Function A set of cognitive functions that controls complex, goal-directed thought and behavior. Executive function involves multiple domains, such as CONCEPT FORMATION, goal management, cognitive flexibility, INHIBITION control, and WORKING MEMORY. Impaired executive function is seen in a range of disorders, e.g., SCHIZOPHRENIA; and ADHD. Executive Control,Executive Controls,Executive Functions,Function, Executive,Functions, Executive
D020762 Infarction, Posterior Cerebral Artery NECROSIS induced by ISCHEMIA in the POSTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY distribution system which supplies portions of the BRAIN STEM; the THALAMUS; TEMPORAL LOBE, and OCCIPITAL LOBE. Depending on the size and location of infarction, clinical features include OLFACTION DISORDERS and visual problems (AGNOSIA; ALEXIA; HEMIANOPSIA). Embolic Infarction, Posterior Cerebral Artery,PCA Infarct,Posterior Cerebral Artery Infarction,Stroke, Posterior Cerebral Artery,Thrombotic Infarction, Posterior Cerebral Artery,PCA Infarction,Posterior Cerebral Artery Embolic Infarction,Posterior Cerebral Artery Stroke,Posterior Cerebral Artery Syndrome,Posterior Cerebral Artery Thrombotic Infarction,Infarct, PCA,Infarction, PCA,Infarcts, PCA,PCA Infarcts

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