Neuropsychological impairments of executive functions and memory in a case of bilateral paramedian thalamic infarction

There is a relative absence of studies which longitudinally examine the neuropsychological correlates of bilateral thalamic infarctions across a range of tests purported to be sensitive to the executive functions and memory. A case is reported of a patient with bilateral paramedian thalamic infarctions who, upon repeated neuropsychological examinations, exhibited performances indicative of impaired executive functions and memory. The neuropsychological findings corresponded with the patient's computerized tomograph (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results which confirmed the presence of paramedian thalamic hypodensities that were greater on the left than on the right side. The longitudinal findings indicated that the patient's neurocognitive impairments were relatively chronic and long-standing. Possible anatomical mechanisms that may be responsible for these results are discussed.