technetium-tc-99m-exametazime and Hysteria

Four patients with the diagnosis of hysterical hemiparesis and normal magnetic resonance imagings were referred to us for further evaluation. All were being treated with antidepressant or antianxiety drugs or both, with no benefit. In all 4 cases single photon emission computed tomography revealed decreased regional cerebral blood flow in frontal regions in cortical areas corresponding to their neurologic deficits. In all 4 cases improvement followed neurologic treatment. We suspect that reduced blood flow in frontal regions may have produced the neurologic deficits. We call these conditions "pseudohysterical hemiparesis."

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Female; Frontal Lobe; Humans; Hysteria; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Paresis; Regional Blood Flow; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; Terminology as Topic; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Topics: Adult; Aphasia; Blood Flow Velocity; Cerebral Cortex; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Organotechnetium Compounds; Oximes; Paresthesia; Regional Blood Flow; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon