Akinetic mutism: disconnection of frontal-subcortical circuits.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Individual case report
What was done
The authors reported on a single clinical case of akinetic mutism following basal ganglia lesions, comparing the clinical and anatomical findings to pathways identified in nonhuman primate tracer studies.
What was found
A patient developed a rigid akinetic mute state associated with bilateral lesions of the globus pallidus interna with ventral extension. No quantitative data or statistical metrics were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The findings provide clinical evidence in humans that bilateral pallidal lesions disrupting anterior cingulate frontal-subcortical circuits can cause akinetic mutism, consistent with nonhuman primate models.
Limits
Findings are limited to a single-patient case report (n = 1), precluding generalization. No detailed quantitative clinical scores or imaging parameters are provided in the abstract.