Introduction: Ischaemic anterior thalamic lesions are rare and can present with disturbances of behaviour and memory. We describe a patient with post-cardiac arrest thalamic stroke.
Case description: A 63-year-old man presented with cardiac arrest, was resuscitated after receiving life support, and showed no lesions on computed tomography. Three days later, he presented with short-term memory disturbance and disorientation, with a de novo anterior thalamic lesion.
Conclusion: The anterior thalamic nucleus, supplied by the posterior communicating artery, is part of the Papez circuit and has a role in modulating behaviour and memory. An anterior thalamic syndrome presents with no sensory-motor deficits.
Learning points: Anterior thalamic stroke is a rare condition and can present with disturbances of short-term memory and behaviour; it usually does not include any motor or sensory deficits.Thalamic stroke can occur due to global hypoxia, such as during cardiopulmonary arrest.
Keywords: Anterior thalamic stroke; limbic thalamus; post-cardiopulmonary arrest stroke.
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