ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITIES RELATE D TO INFARCTION IN THE TERRITORY OF THE ANTERIOR CHOROID ARTERY

Electro cardiographic changes are seen in 5-17% of acute ischemic stro ke, but there is scarpe clinical evidence to correlate stroke location with cardiac abnormalities. A 17-year old man had infarct in the terr itory of the anterior choroidal artery with major but reversible elect rocardiographic changes. Infarction involved the substantia innominata containing the ventral amygdalofugal pathway. Electrcardiographic cha nges could result from a small hemispheric lesion of structures involv ed in autonomic control. Correlation studies of stroke location with e lectrophysiologic changes should help to determine patients at risk fo r cardiac arthythmia and prevent sudden death.