Language and memory disturbances from mesencephalothalamic infarcts. A clinical and computed tomography study

Three right-handed subjects presented impairment of consciousness, paralysis of vertical gaze, aphasia and memory disturbances. Computed tomography scans showed low-density lesions in the paramedian areas of the left thalamus. Neuropsychological examination revealed a fluent aphasia in one patient and a nonfluent in two; all had paraphasias and perseveration. Comprehension, repetition and writing were normal. In the literature on so-called thalamic aphasia only a few cases are reported with involvement of the paramedian nuclear complex.