Lacunar thalamic infarcts and amnesia

Six cases with CT scan evidence of paramedian thalamic lacunar infarcts in the region of the paramedian thalamic arteries (4 unilateral left and 2 bilateral) are described. The main acute symptoms included disorders of consciousness, hypersomnia and sometimes vertical gaze paresis. An amnesic syndrome of variable degree and duration was observed in all cases, and in 1 of them was still present 2 years after the onset. In addition, we report a case of lateral thalamic infarction, which showed a predominantly aphasic (transcortical sensory type) clinical picture.