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Hemiballism: report of 25 cases
A Vidaković1, N Dragasević, V S Kostić
1Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|August 1, 1994
Summary
This study investigated hemiballism and biballism, often caused by strokes. Most patients experienced good prognoses, with subthalamic nucleus lesions identified in a minority of cases.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Movement Disorders
Background:
- Hemiballism and biballism are hyperkinetic movement disorders.
- Strokes are a primary cause, but other etiologies exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical features, etiologies, neuroimaging findings, and prognoses of hemiballism and biballism.
- To investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of these movement disorders.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 25 patients with hemiballism or biballism.
- Review of clinical data, etiological factors, and neuroimaging results (MRI/CT).
Main Results:
- Twenty-three patients had hemiballism, two had biballism.
- Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes were the most common causes.
- Subthalamic nucleus lesions were found in only 6 patients; other subcortical structures were implicated or imaging was normal in others.
- Pure hemiballism was rare; chorea was a common co-occurring dyskinesia (16 patients).
Conclusions:
- Hemiballism and biballism have diverse etiologies beyond subthalamic nucleus lesions.
- Co-occurring chorea is frequent, and the prognosis is generally favorable.