[Left anterior choroidal artery syndrome with language disorders and constructional apraxia]

The infarction in the territory of the anterior choroidal artery may induce a sensory motor impairment and neuropsychological symptoms close to those observed in some thalamic lesions. In a right handed man with a left sided infarction, language disturbances and constructional apraxia were observed. Cerebral blood flow measurements were performed 4 days after the stroke with the 133Xenon inhalation method. A decrease of mean hemispheric values was observed on both sides but more so on the left hemisphere, in the left frontoparietal regions. 98 days after the stroke language and constructional apraxia have partially improved. We have drawn a parallel between blood flow variations and neuropsychological signs. The cortical deafferentation caused by the interruption of the thalamo-cortical projections may explain the focalized decrease in cerebral blood flow values in the left hemisphere.