Work

Thalamic strokes that severely impair arousal extend into the brainstem

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: In this study, we evaluate the role of the thalamus in the neural circuitry of arousal. Level of consciousness within the first 12 hours of a thalamic stroke is assessed with lesion symptom mapping. Impaired arousal correlates with lesions in the paramedian posterior thalamus near the centromedian and parafascicular nuclei, posterior hypothalamus, and midbrain tegmentum. All patients with severely impaired arousal (coma, stupor) had lesion extension into the midbrain and/or pontine tegmentum, whereas purely thalamic lesions did not severely impair arousal. These results are consistent with growing evidence that pathways most critical for human arousal lie outside the thalamus. Ann Neurol 2018;84:926-930.

Source: Annals of Neurology

DOI: 10.1002/ana.25377

Authors: Joseph Hindman, Mark D. Bowren, Joel Bruss, Brad Wright, Joel C. Geerling, Aaron D. Boes

Institutions: University of Iowa, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University of Utah

Language: English

Topic: Traumatic Brain Injury Research

Subfield: Clinical Neurology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development