The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	Emotion and thalamus
Language	J
AuthorList	Kazumi Hirayama
Affiliation	Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 17 (2), 99-103, 2001
Received
Accepted
Abstract	The basolateral limbic circuit, i.e. mediodorsal thalamic nucleus, anterior cingulate and prefrontal orbital cortices, anterior temporal cortex, amygdala, mediodorsal thalamic nucleus circuit, was the crucial system in emotion. There were reciprocal projections between hypothalamus and anterior cingulate and prefrontal orbital cortices, and between hypothalamus and amygdala, too. Paramedian thalamomesencephalic infarction destructs mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and hypothalamus which constitute each of these circuits respectively. We reported 2 cases who developed childish behavior and euphoria after this type of infarction. A good mother with a strong will became just like a little mischievous girl, and answered to the questions teasing and irrelevant way (Vorbeireden). A serious, taciturn old man came to sing nursery song, or played "choo-choo" with his wife. Intelligence and memory of the latter case was normal. Thus, this change was not attributable to these disturbances. Lesions in the mediodorsal nuclei might cause euphoria etc. by destructing the projections to the anterior cingulate and prefrontal orbital cortices, and lesions in hypothalami might dampened the functioning of the circuits for anger and fear, while preserving that of pleasure, thus producing the particular personality changes observed in these patients.
Keywords	paramedian thalamomesencephalic infarction, dorsomedial nucleus, hypothalamus, emotion, childish behavior