NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING IN UNILATERAL CEREBELLAR DAMAGE

A woman had a left superior cerebellar artery infarct associated with reduced hexamethyl-propileneamine oxime uptake on SPECT scan of the ba sal ganglia and frontoparietal areas of the opposite hemisphere perfor med poorly in some neuropsychological tests indicating right hemispher e dysfunction. There was a lengthening of reaction and movement times with the hand ipsilateral to the lesion. These deficits were temporary . A unilateral cerebellar lesion can produce neuropsychological defici ts, possibly because of hypoperfusion in contralateral frontoparietal regions, but spontaneous neuropsychological remissions may occur.