Thalamic Ataxia in the Elderly

Oh, Byeong Chul; Seo, Man Wook; Yang, Yun Jeong

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Geriatrics Society 1999;3(2):96-101.
Published online June 30, 1999.

Thalamic Ataxia in the Elderly

Byeong Chul Oh, Man Wook Seo, Yun Jeong Yang

노인에서 발생된 시상성 운동실조등

Abstract

Ataxia is one of the most serious neurological symptoms in elderly The clarification of the related anatomical structures are necessary for the understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms of ataxia. We have recently experienced a case of thalamic infarct in the territory of thalamogeniculate artery. The localization of lesion was based on CT and MR imaging. At first time, right hemiparesis and ataxia were prominent. Hemiparesis was transient but ataxia had been persistent for several months. It has been suspected that thalamus could be the part of neural circuits in balancing. Our case support this suggestion clinically. Based on clinical observations, a plausible extrapolation can be made to thalamic ataxia. It maybe related with dysfunction of dentatorubrothalamic and corticopontine pathway. Thus our case led us to conclude that thalamus could be engaged in balance control of human body.

Key Words: Thalamogeniculate artery, Ventrolateral thalamic nuclei, Dentatorubro-thalamic nuclei