par De Mol, Jacques 
;Kornreich, Charles ;Pelc, Isy
Référence Annales de psychiatrie, 15, 1, page (29-34)
Publication Publié, 2000
;Kornreich, Charles ;Pelc, IsyRéférence Annales de psychiatrie, 15, 1, page (29-34)
Publication Publié, 2000
Article révisé par les pairs
| Résumé : | Normal pressure hydrocephalus consists in a clinical presentation of a gait disturbance, incontinence and dementia. Sixty three patients (aged 17 to 82) with diagnosis confirmed by tomodensitometry and isotope cistemography underwent a pre and postoperation neuropsychological evaluation. Behavioral mood and cognitive dysfunction were demonstrated. In most cases, mental deterioration was typical of a frontal syndrome (attention impairment: 98%; loss of memory: 97%; writing difficulties: 90%; dyscalculia 84%; visuoconstructive apraxia: 79%; bradypsychy: 78%; apragmatism: 63%; anosognosia: 52%; alexia: 52%; speech disturbances: 41%, emotional indifference: 33%). After cerebrospinal fluid shunting, clinical improvement was observed in 33 patients (52%). Apart from a reduction in ventricular size, we found a regression of several behavioral, mood and cognitive dysfunctions. The main neuropsychological improvements were referred to functions related to communication, spontaneous activity, initiatives and planning. Even when ventricular enlargement may involve an underlying general brain damage, our results showed a dysfunction in the frontal area where the above mentioned neurobehavioral dysfunctions are mainly localized. Moreover, hypofrontality seems to be the expression of a dysfunction in the cortico-subcortical neuronal pathways © 2000 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS. |
