Bizarre posture and movement disorder with third ventricle astrocytoma

An eight-year-old girl presented with a bizarre posture and gait and was diagnosed as having hysterical astasia-abasia. She walked with marked lordosis and head hyper-extended, and would walk backwards across the room to a bed or chair for support. She had a midline astrocytoma and the disorder was relieved with removal of the tumour. The unusual symptomatology accompanying many midline lesions is re-emphasized.