Bilateral basal ganglia-thalamic lesions subsequent to prolonged fetal bradycardia

We report two infants with bilateral basal ganglia-thalamic lesions subsequ ent to prolonged fetal bradycardia. Cardiotocogram revealed severe bradycar dia lasting for more than 20 min in both. They demonstrated a significant e ncephalopathy, abnormal muscle tones and signs of brainstem injury. Clinica l or electrical seizures were not observed in either of them. CT during ear ly neonatal period demonstrated decreased tissue attenuation in basal gangl ia and thalami in the absence of extensive cortical changes. Both of them d eveloped severe mental retardation and quadriplegia. MRI in late infancy de monstrated abnormal high intensity areas in bilateral basal ganglia, thalam i and around central sulci on T2-weighted image. Close correlation between prolonged fetal bradycardia and basal ganglia-thalamic lesion was suggested . (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.