Neurobehavioural disturbances, rehabilitation outcome, and lesion site in patients after rupture and repair of anterior communicating artery aneurysm

Objective-To determine: (1) patterns of cognitive and psychiatric dysfunction; (2) those neurobehavioural parameters which mostly influence disability in activities of daily Living (ADL) and handicap in occupational and psychosocial activities, and (3) underlying neuroanatomical pathology in patients after rupture and repair of anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm. Methods-30 patients were extensively examined by means of a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests, by rating of psychopathological symptoms, and by use of the functional independence measure (FIM), Glasgow outcome scale (GOS), and MRI. Results and conclusions-(1) Three main groups were characterised by primary impairment of memory, executive functions, or of attentional performance. Within these main groups, specific patterns were identified relating to extent of primary dysfunction and associated disorders. The variety of neuropsychological disturbances is in contradiction to the existence of an "ACoA syndrome" as an entity. (2) Rehabilitation outcome proved to be mostly associated with both memory and attentional performance. (3) In neuropathological terms, lesions of the medial septum and nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca (MS/ndbB) were closely associated with memory deficits and prefrontal lesions were associated with attentional, executive, and psychopathological dysfunctions. At the same time, bilateral lesions were associated with severe disturbances. The type and severity of the above mentioned deficits were independent of the side of lesion in unilateral cases, of rectus gyrus resection, and of the Hunt and Hess grading system.