The purpose of this study is to investigate predictors of crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD), and the effects of CCD on functional outcomes including motor function, activities of daily living, cognitive function, and ambulation 6 months after onset in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).
A total of 74 patients experiencing their first ICH were recruited. If the asymmetric index was more than 10% using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a diagnosis of CCD was confirmed. Clinical factors were retrospectively assessed by reviewing medical records. Radiologic factors encompassed the concomitance of intraventricular hemorrhage, side and location of the lesion, and hemorrhage volume. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index, and measurement of the Functional Ambulatory Category at the time of SPECT measurement and 6 months post-ICH.
Lesion location, especially in the basal ganglia (odds ratio [OR]=6.138, p=0.011), and hemorrhagic volume (OR=1.055, p=0.046) were independent predictors for CCD according to multivariate logistic regression analysis. In addition, the presence of CCD was significantly related to the improvement in Fugl-Meyer Assessment score after 6 months (adjusted R2=0.152, p=0.036).
Lesion location and hemorrhagic volume were the predisposing factors for CCD, and the CCD was associated with poor motor recovery over 6 months in patients with hemorrhagic stroke.
Citations
To investigate the anatomical correlates of the neuropsychological deficits in patients with the cerebellar stroke.
We screened patients who were admitted to the National Rehabilitation Center with the cerebellar stroke between October 2012 and November 2016. The patients with the cerebellar stroke who underwent neuropsychological testing for which the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB) or the SNSB-II were enrolled. The neuropsychological function capacities were compared in accordance with the stroke type (hemorrhagic vs. ischemic) and the location (right/left anterior, right/left posterior intermediate, right/left posterior lateral lobe, and vermis). Mean z-scores were computed to compare the patient performances with the population averages.
Twenty-six patients (15 with ischemic stroke and 11 with hemorrhagic stroke) with a mean age of 54.8±16.6 years were assessed 8.8±9.2 months after the stroke. Differences in the neuropsychological functioning according to the stroke type were not observed. All of the numerical subtests of the stroke patients showed significantly poorer performances compared with the population averages (mean z-score <0), and some of the subtests revealed abnormal performances in attention-, visuospatial function-, memory-, and frontal/executive function-related tasks (mean z-score <−1). The patients with the presence of a lesion in the right posterior intermediate lobe of the cerebellum showed a poorer performance in the subtests evaluating the executive function including the Korean-version Stroop Test (p=0.04), the Digit Symbol Coding Test (p=0.01), and the Korean-version Trail Making Test (p=0.02) compared with the patients without that lesion.
The present study confirms that the cerebellar stroke affects the neuropsychological functioning which is associated with the anatomical site of stroke.
Citations
Cerebellar mutism (CM) is a rare neurological condition characterized by lack of speech due to cerebellar lesions. CM is often reported in children. We describe a rare case of CM after spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage. The patient showed mutism, irritability, decreased spontaneous movements and oropharyngeal apraxia. Diffusion tensor imaging revealed significant volume reduction of medial frontal projection fibers from the corpus callosum. In Tracts Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy (TRACULA) analysis, forceps major and minor and bilateral cingulum-angular bundles were not visualized. Cerebello-frontal pathway reconstructed from the FMRIB Software Library showed continuity of fibers, with decreased number of fibers on qualitative analysis. These results suggest that cerebello-frontal disconnection may be a neuroanatomical mechanism of CM. Damage of brain network between occipital lobe, cingulate and cerebellum caused by hemorrhage may also have role in the mechanism of CM in our case.
Citations
To identify predictive factors of depressive mood in patients with isolated cerebellar stroke.
A retrospective chart review was performed in patients who had experienced their first isolated cerebellar stroke during 2002–2014. The patients were classified into two groups by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) (non-depressive group, 0≤GDS≤16; depressive group, 17≤GDS≤30). Data on demographic and socioeconomic factors, comorbidities, functional level, cognitive and linguistic function, and stroke characteristics were collected. Significant variables in univariate analysis were analyzed using logistic regression.
Fifty-two patients were enrolled, of whom 55.8% had depressive mood, were older (p=0.021), and had higher hypertension rates (p=0.014). Cognitive and linguistic functions did not differ between the two groups. The depressive group had higher ischemic stroke rates (p=0.035) and showed a dominant right posterior cerebellar hemisphere lesion (p=0.028), which was independently associated with depressive mood in the multiple logistic regression analysis (odds ratio, 5.081; 95% confidence interval, 1.261–20.479).
The risk of depressive mood after cerebellar stroke was increased in patients at old age, with a history of hypertension, ischemic stroke, and lesion of the right posterior cerebellar hemisphere. The most significant determining factor was stroke lesion of the right posterior cerebellar hemisphere. Early detection of risk factors is important to prevent and manage depressive mood after cerebellar stroke.
Citations