SYNDROME OF EARLY RECOGNITION OF OCCULT HYDROCEPHALUS AND CEREBRAL ATROPHY

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (183) , 365-380
Abstract
A clinical and neuropsychological syndrome for early recognition of occult hydrocephalus and cerebral atrophy was described. Five illustrative patients were reported. The main features of the syndrome were subjective non-specific complaints (headaches, depression and loss of memory); the tonic foot response of the sole and the foot grasp reflex in the absence of the hand grasp reflex; attacks of sudden and transient loss of muscle tone in both lower limbs leading to falls without warning while standing or walking [these attacks, indistinguishable from drop-attacks, were termed chalastic fits]; and a dissociation between the satisfactory performances on the Ottawa-Wechsler scale and the poor performances on Kohs Block Design test. Clinical and neuropsychological findings could not differentiate between occult hydrocephalus and cerebral atrophy; only radionuclide cisternography and computerized tomography were able to delineate the final diagnosis.