Het thalamusinfarct

Treatment of acute stroke and secondary prevention after stroke is dependent on stroke recognition. Symptoms often include half-sided motor or sensory deficits with or without cortical signs, such as aphasia or neglect, and are usually well-known in general practice and emergency departments. However, strokes occurring in the thalamus – a highly interconnected cerebral ‘relay system’ – can present with atypical symptoms, hampering their recognition. Here, we report on three patients presenting with different symptoms of thalamic stroke: hemihypaesthesia-hemiataxia syndrome, acute-onset cognitive deficits and transient brain stem symptoms, respectively. All patients were demonstrated to have thalamic ischaemia, with the latter case featuring bilateral thalamic ischaemia secondary to artery of Percheron occlusion. Functional and vascular anatomy of the thalamus are briefly discussed.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.