학술논문

Pushing behavior and hemiparesis: which is critical for functional recovery in pusher patients ? Case report
Document Type
article
Source
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria. June 2007 65(2b)
Subject
postural control
pusher syndrome
stroke
thalamic hemorrhage
Language
English
ISSN
0004-282X
Abstract
We report a sequential neuroimaging study in a 48-years-old man with a history of chronic hypertension and lacunar strokes involving the ventral lateral posterior nucleus of the thalamus. The patient developed mild hemiparesis and severe contraversive pushing behavior after an acute hemorrhage affecting the right thalamus. Following standard motor physiotherapy, the pusher behavior completely resolved 3 months after the onset and, at that time, he had a Barthel Index of 85, although mild left hemiparesis was still present. This case report illustrates that pushing behavior itself may be severely incapacitating, may occur with only mild hemiparesis and affected patients may have dramatic functional improvement (Barthel Index 0 to 85) after resolution pushing behavior without recovery of hemiparesis.