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Hemichorea due to ipsilateral thalamic infarction: A case report
Zhao-Sheng Li1, Jia-Jia Fang1, Xiao-Hui Xiang1
1Department of Neurology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China.
World Journal of Clinical Cases
|July 26, 2021
Summary
Ipsilateral hemichorea, involuntary movements on the same side as the brain lesion, can occur after a thalamic stroke. This rare condition may be explained by the thalamus's role in bilateral motor control.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Hemichorea typically arises from basal ganglia vascular lesions, usually contralateral to affected limbs.
- The pathophysiology of ipsilateral hemichorea remains poorly understood.
- This review explores mechanisms of ipsilateral hemichorea following cerebral infarction.
Observation:
- A 72-year-old woman presented with sudden onset left-sided hemichorea and mild right-sided hemiparesis.
- Involuntary movements spread to involve the left limbs.
- MRI revealed a left thalamic infarction.
Findings:
- The patient's hemichorea resolved with haloperidol treatment.
- Hemiparesis improved with rehabilitation physiotherapy.
- Ipsilateral hemichorea following thalamic infarction is a rare but documented phenomenon.
Implications:
- The thalamus, a key relay station, exerts bilateral control over motor function.
- Understanding these pathways may explain ipsilateral hemichorea.
- This case highlights the complex relationship between thalamic lesions and motor control deficits.
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