LONG-TERM COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT ASSOCIATED WITH CAUDATE STROKE

Background and Purpose Neuropsychiatric findings were examined in 91 p atients with acute focal subcortical lesions to determine whether cogn itive outcome would differ depending on whether the head of the caudat e or other subcortical structures were injured. Methods Patients were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hamilton Rat ing Scale for Depression, and modified Present State Examination. Pati ents were reexamined at short-term (3 to 6 months) or long-term (1 to 2 years) follow-up. Results There were no significant intergroup diffe rences in the MMSE scores at the initial evaluation or at short-term f ollow-up. At long-term follow-up, however, patients with either right or left caudate lesions had significantly lower MMSE scores than patie nts with other subcortical lesions. Conclusions A significant number o f patients with caudate infarction deteriorate in their intellectual f unction between 1 and 2 years after stroke. This phenomenon could be m ediated through disruption of cortical projections to the caudate.