LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS AFTER LEFT TUBEROTHALAMIC INFARCTION - A STUDY OF7 CASES

The long-term prognosis after left tuberothalamic infarction was studi ed in a selected group of 7 patients who had memory disturbances suffi ciently severe to warrant neuropsychological consultation and rehabili tation. The mean age of the patients was 46.7 +/- 5.6 years and the me an follow-up time 22.3 +/- 15.0 months. At the acute stage 4 patients had dysphasia, 1 hemiparesis, and 1 vertical gaze paresis. These impro ved well. All 7 had memory disturbances, which remained the dominant d isability. Four patients had severe behavioral symptoms (psychosis, de pression, anxiety) at the acute stage. The most common residual behavi oral symptoms were inactivity and depression. At the end of rehabilita tion (mean 15.4 months) clear residual disturbances in verbal memory a nd learning were still observed. These prevented return to work in all but 1 case. No case of true dementia was found.