BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHIATRIC ASPECTS OF SILENT CEREBRAL INFARCTION

A number of psychiatric and behavioural symptoms have been described i n relation to silent cerebral infarction, At least four symptom cluste rs were identified, namely, affective, paranoid delusional, confusiona l state and changes in mood with behavioural disturbances, The mechani sms involved are unclear. Biochemical changes involving neurotransmitt er mechanisms, vascular compromise or structural damage to the anatomi cal pathways may be contributory if not causal, It is clear that in pa tients presenting with behavioural or psychiatric manifestations witho ut any previous history of mental illness and without any focal or lat eralising neurological signs, cerebrovascular disease should be a diag nostic consideration.