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Hypersexuality following bilateral thalamic infarction: case report
Eduardo G Mutarelli1, Antonio M P Omuro, Tarso Adoni
1Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. mutarell@uol.com.br
Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria
|April 20, 2006
Summary
Brain injury can cause hypersexuality due to damage in specific brain regions. This case highlights thalamic infarction leading to frontal lobe dysfunction and behavioral changes, including hypersexuality.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Hypersexuality is a recognized, albeit rare, consequence of brain injury.
- Previous cases linked this condition to hypothalamic or temporal and frontal lobe dysfunction.
Observation:
- A 63-year-old man presented with neuropsychological disturbances, notably hypersexuality, disinhibition, memory loss, hypersomnia, and irritability.
- These symptoms emerged after a bilateral paramedian thalamic infarction.
Findings:
- Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) revealed frontal hypoperfusion.
- The observed symptoms are attributed to frontal-subcortical circuit dysfunction, specifically the orbitofrontal circuit, secondary to thalamic infarction.
Implications:
- This case suggests the thalamus plays a crucial role in modulating frontal lobe functions related to human sexual behavior.
- It supports the hypothesis of thalamic involvement in the determination of sexual behavior.
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