Characteristics of Cognitive Dysfunction in Intracerebral Hemorrhagic Patients with Basal Ganglia and Thalamic Lesion

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of cognitive dysfunction in the stroke patients with basal ganglia and thalamic lesion. Method: We studied 24 stroke patients (<3 months after onset) with thalamus or basal ganglia lesion, retrospectively. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the brain lesion (group 1, basal ganglia; group 2, thalamus; group 3, both area). Results of cognitive function tests including Mini-Mental State Examination, Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination and detailed test of attention, memory and executive function using Computerized Neuropsychological Test were compared between groups. Results: Most of the patients showed abnormal performance in all domains of cognitive function regardless of location of the lesion. Impairment in stroop test and trail making test was prominent, suggesting executive dysfunction. Attention and verbal memory were impaired, too. Group 3 showed most severe cognitive dysfunction in all domains although statistically not significant. There were no significant differences between group 1 and group 2. Conclusion: All domains of cognitive function were impaired in basal ganglia or thalamic stroke, especially in executive function. There were no significant differences in cognitive dysfunction between basal ganglia and thalamic groups in this study.