Abstract
A 78 year old lady, with a past medical history of hypertension, presented to the Accident & Emergency department after a sudden onset of right sided involuntary movements while she was having afternoon tea with her friends. Examination showed isolated unilateral chorea, affecting the right arm and leg (video). Her blood glucose and sodium levels were normal. The MRI head scan showed a left globus pallidus infarct (figure 1). Tetrabenazine was prescribed with very good response, and weaned off after 4 weeks. Hyperkinetic movement disorders are uncommon in acute stroke (1%)1. Lesions in regions functionally connected to the posterolateral putamen are implicated in hyperkinetic movement disorders2. The differential diagnosis includes hyperglycaemia, hyponatraemia and drug-induced chorea. In cases of sudden onset, it is important to recognise stroke as a possible cause to avoid missing reperfusion therapy opportunities
- Received September 26, 2020.
- Accepted November 2, 2020.
- © 2021 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
The Nerve!: Rapid online correspondence
NOTE: All contributors' disclosures must be entered and current in our database before comments can be posted. Enter and update disclosures at http://submit.cp.neurology.org. Exception: replies to comments concerning an article you originally authored do not require updated disclosures.
- Stay timely. Submit only on articles published within the last 8 weeks.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- 200 words maximum.
- 5 references maximum. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- 5 authors maximum. Exception: replies can include all original authors of the article.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.