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A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Protocol for Stroke Onset Time Estimation in Permanent Cerebral Ischemia
Published on: September 16, 2017
Ataxia in posterior circulation stroke: clinical-MRI correlations
Cristina Deluca1, Giuseppe Moretto, Alessandro Di Matteo
1Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. cristina.deluca@univr.it
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|November 2, 2010
Summary
Gait ataxia is common in posterior circulation stroke, regardless of lesion location. Limb ataxia and dysarthria were less frequent with posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarcts.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Stroke Research
Background:
- Ataxia presents with gait and limb ataxia, dysarthria, and nystagmus.
- Posterior circulation (PC) strokes are known to cause ataxia, but specific roles of cerebellar structures are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the differential role of the cerebellum and its pathways in causing ataxia following acute PC stroke.
Main Methods:
- 92 patients with acute PC stroke were assessed for ataxia using the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS).
- Four topographical MRI patterns were identified: posterior inferior cerebellar artery (picaCH), superior cerebellar artery (scaCH), cerebellum/brainstem cerebellar pathways (CH/CP), and brainstem cerebellar pathways (CP) infarcts.
Main Results:
- Gait ataxia was highly prevalent (95.7%). Limb ataxia (76.1%) and dysarthria (56.5%) were less frequent and severe in the picaCH pattern.
- Gait ataxia severity was highest in the CH/CP pattern. Nystagmus (65.2%) frequency and severity did not differ across patterns.
Conclusions:
- Gait ataxia is nearly universal in PC stroke, irrespective of infarct location.
- Specific cerebellar infarct patterns (picaCH) are associated with reduced limb ataxia and dysarthria, while nystagmus is pattern-independent.
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