Neurobehavioral changes following caudate infarct: a case report with literature review

A case of left caudate infarct with its associated neurobehavioral changes is reported with review of literature. The patient showed apathy, decreased problem solving ability, impaired memory and abstract thinking, especially the verbal memory. Such behavioral and cognitive changes correspond to disturbances of specific prefrontal-caudate circuits, either dorsolateral prefrontal or lateral orbitofrontal circuits. From review of literature, it is known that patients with dorsolateral caudate involvement may show apathy, reduced spontaneity and initiative; Patients with ventromedial caudate involvement will exhibit disinhibition, disorganization and impulsiveness, and patients with larger caudate lesion may show affective symptoms with psychotic features.