Acute Caudate Nucleus Stroke Presenting As Hemiballismus.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Movement Disorders

Background:

• Hemiballismus and chorea are involuntary movement disorders typically associated with basal ganglia and subthalamic nucleus (STN) lesions.
• Other brain lesions, such as cortical infarctions, can present with distinct neurological deficits like hemiplegia or aphasia.

Observation:

• A rare case of acute hemiballismus and hemichorea was observed.
• The involuntary movements were linked to an infarction in the left caudate nucleus.

Findings:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) confirmed the caudate nucleus infarction.
• This case highlights the caudate nucleus as a potential site for lesions causing acute hemiballismus and hemichorea.

Implications:

• The findings broaden the understanding of the neuroanatomical basis for hemiballismus and hemichorea.
• This case underscores the importance of considering diverse etiologies beyond the STN for these movement disorders.