Frontal lobe syndrome in a patient with bilateral globus pallidus lesions. 1989

R L Strub
Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, LA 70121.

This article describes a patient who experienced the rapid onset of an irreversible behavioral change while vacationing in La Paz, Bolivia (altitude, 4070 m). The only lesions demonstrated on a magnetic resonance imaging scan were bilateral hemorrhages in the globus pallidus. The behavior change was characterized by apathy and lack of motivation, features commonly associated with bilateral frontal lobe disease. This case is a further demonstration of how subcortical lesions can produce behavioral syndromes that are clinically indistinguishable from classic cortical syndromes. It is cases such as this that show how a strict localizationist concept of behavioral function is too restrictive and how it is necessary to consider a wide network of neuronal interconnections when explaining the mechanism of a dissolution of complex higher functions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009042 Motivation Those factors which cause an organism to behave or act in either a goal-seeking or satisfying manner. They may be influenced by physiological drives or by external stimuli. Incentives,Disincentives,Expectations,Disincentive,Expectation,Incentive,Motivations
D001927 Brain Diseases Pathologic conditions affecting the BRAIN, which is composed of the intracranial components of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. This includes (but is not limited to) the CEREBRAL CORTEX; intracranial white matter; BASAL GANGLIA; THALAMUS; HYPOTHALAMUS; BRAIN STEM; and CEREBELLUM. Intracranial Central Nervous System Disorders,Brain Disorders,CNS Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Intracranial Disorders,Encephalon Diseases,Encephalopathy,Intracranial CNS Disorders,Brain Disease,Brain Disorder,CNS Disorder, Intracranial,Encephalon Disease,Encephalopathies,Intracranial CNS Disorder
D002543 Cerebral Hemorrhage Bleeding into one or both CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES including the BASAL GANGLIA and the CEREBRAL CORTEX. It is often associated with HYPERTENSION and CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA. Brain Hemorrhage, Cerebral,Cerebral Parenchymal Hemorrhage,Hemorrhage, Cerebral,Intracerebral Hemorrhage,Hemorrhage, Cerebrum,Brain Hemorrhages, Cerebral,Cerebral Brain Hemorrhage,Cerebral Brain Hemorrhages,Cerebral Hemorrhages,Cerebral Parenchymal Hemorrhages,Cerebrum Hemorrhage,Cerebrum Hemorrhages,Hemorrhage, Cerebral Brain,Hemorrhage, Cerebral Parenchymal,Hemorrhage, Intracerebral,Hemorrhages, Cerebral,Hemorrhages, Cerebral Brain,Hemorrhages, Cerebral Parenchymal,Hemorrhages, Cerebrum,Hemorrhages, Intracerebral,Intracerebral Hemorrhages,Parenchymal Hemorrhage, Cerebral,Parenchymal Hemorrhages, Cerebral
D005625 Frontal Lobe The part of the cerebral hemisphere anterior to the central sulcus, and anterior and superior to the lateral sulcus. Brodmann Area 8,Brodmann's Area 8,Frontal Cortex,Frontal Eye Fields,Lobus Frontalis,Supplementary Eye Field,Area 8, Brodmann,Area 8, Brodmann's,Brodmanns Area 8,Cortex, Frontal,Eye Field, Frontal,Eye Field, Supplementary,Eye Fields, Frontal,Frontal Cortices,Frontal Eye Field,Frontal Lobes,Lobe, Frontal,Supplementary Eye Fields
D005917 Globus Pallidus The representation of the phylogenetically oldest part of the corpus striatum called the paleostriatum. It forms the smaller, more medial part of the lentiform nucleus. Paleostriatum,Pallidum,Pallidums
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001519 Behavior The observable response of a man or animal to a situation. Acceptance Process,Acceptance Processes,Behaviors,Process, Acceptance,Processes, Acceptance
D012934 Social Isolation The separation of individuals or groups resulting in the lack of or minimizing of social contact and/or communication. This separation may be accomplished by physical separation, by social barriers and by psychological mechanisms. In the latter, there may be interaction but no real communication. Isolation, Social,Social Exclusion,Exclusion, Social,Social Exclusions

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