Related Experiment Videos
Cognitive sequelae of unilateral posteroventral pallidotomy
V M Soukup1, F Ingram, M C Schiess
1Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0539, USA.
Objective:
To examine the cognitive sequelae of unilateral posteroventral pallidotomy.
Design:
Single-group pretest and posttest methodologic assessment with baseline evaluation performed 1 to 2 days prior to surgery and follow-up conducted 3 months after pallidotomy.
Setting:
Movement disorder clinic at a university medical center.
Patients:
Fourteen patients (age range, 43-82 years) with Parkinson disease (average disease duration, 7.4 years).
Intervention:
Unilateral posteroventral pallidotomy procedures were performed on the right (n=8) and left (n=6) side of the brain.
Main Outcome Measures:
The protocol consisted of a range of neuropsychological instruments sensitive to subcortical dysfunction, including measures of bi-manual coordination, simple-complex reaction time, visual attention, naming, verbal fluency, learning, recognition memory, and problem solving.
Results:
No significant deterioration in specific cognitive abilities was observed as a function of the procedure. Patients showed a significant improvement in motor coordination speed for both contralateral and ipsilateral upper extremities.
Conclusions:
Stereotactic unilateral posteroventral pallidotomy is associated with minimal risk of adverse neuropsychological effects or cognitive decline. Additional research is warranted, with an increased sample size and extended follow-up, to assess any potential lateralized effects of the procedure.