TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuropsychological alterations in patients with computed tomography-detected basal ganglia calcification
AU - López-Villegas, Dolores
AU - Kulisevsky, Jaime
AU - Deus, Joan
AU - Junqué, Carmen
AU - Pujol, Jesus
AU - Guardia, Esteban
AU - Grau, Joesp M.
PY - 1996/1/1
Y1 - 1996/1/1
N2 - Objective: To investigate the cognitive and mental status of patients with basal ganglia calcification on a computed tomographic scan. Design: Eighteen ambulatory patients with basal ganglia calcification and without other radiological findings who were identified from the computed tomography records of a general hospital in a 2-year period and 16 control subjects who were matched for age, education, sex, and premorbid IQ estimation consented to participate. All subjects underwent a neurological evaluation, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, and tests with psychiatric rating scales. Results: Significant differences for the control group were found in tests that evaluated motor speed and executive, visuospatial, and some memory functions. Four patients (22%) met criteria for organic mood disorder (minor depression, three patients; bipolar depression, one patient) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition, whereas six other patients (33%) met diagnostic criteria for obsessivecompulsive disorder. Conclusions: These results indicate that patients with basal ganglia calcifications frequently have a subcortical pattern of neuropsychological dysfunction and behavioral changes that are known to be associated with alterations of the frontal-limbic-basal ganglia circuits. The pattern of neuropsychological impairment is consistent with basal ganglia damage. However, poor performance in other neuropsychological tests suggest additional involvement of other connected networks.
AB - Objective: To investigate the cognitive and mental status of patients with basal ganglia calcification on a computed tomographic scan. Design: Eighteen ambulatory patients with basal ganglia calcification and without other radiological findings who were identified from the computed tomography records of a general hospital in a 2-year period and 16 control subjects who were matched for age, education, sex, and premorbid IQ estimation consented to participate. All subjects underwent a neurological evaluation, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, and tests with psychiatric rating scales. Results: Significant differences for the control group were found in tests that evaluated motor speed and executive, visuospatial, and some memory functions. Four patients (22%) met criteria for organic mood disorder (minor depression, three patients; bipolar depression, one patient) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition, whereas six other patients (33%) met diagnostic criteria for obsessivecompulsive disorder. Conclusions: These results indicate that patients with basal ganglia calcifications frequently have a subcortical pattern of neuropsychological dysfunction and behavioral changes that are known to be associated with alterations of the frontal-limbic-basal ganglia circuits. The pattern of neuropsychological impairment is consistent with basal ganglia damage. However, poor performance in other neuropsychological tests suggest additional involvement of other connected networks.
U2 - 10.1001/archneur.1996.00550030061023
DO - 10.1001/archneur.1996.00550030061023
M3 - Article
VL - 53
SP - 251
EP - 256
JO - Archives of Neurology
JF - Archives of Neurology
SN - 0003-9942
IS - 3
ER -