Behavioral neurology and stroke

The role that stroke patients have played in the history of behavioral neurology was illustrated by describing some contributions made by Broca, Dejerine, Wilbrand, Liepman, and Geschwind. The recent work on the anatomic basis of recovery or lack of recovery in aphasia was discussed and the network of structures important in attention were reviewed. The study of stroke patients with amnestic syndromes (particularly those with basal forebrain and diencephalic lesions) was discussed as well. Starting with Liepman's classic contribution, and then looking at more recent studies, the left hemisphere's role in limb praxis was analyzed. The different syndromes that result when the superior and inferior visual association cortices are damaged were described and illustrated. A summary of neurobehavioral syndromes related to stroke that may present to the psychiatrist because the patient does not have an hemiparesis was given. The relationship of stroke to dementia and depression was reviewed.