A Tetrad Cognitive Presentation of Gerstmann Syndrome: A Rare Manifestation of Stroke

Stroke Presented as Gerstmann Syndrome
Vol. 17 No. 1 : 2022 (288-294)

Siti Nur Izni SMA Siti Nur Izni SMA
Kevin WCS Kevin WCS
AHMAD KHALDUN I AHMAD KHALDUN I

Abstract
Gerstmann Syndrome is a rare neurological presentation due to a lesion in the left dominant parietal lobe, manifesting as a tetrad of agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia and right-left disorientation. We present a case of a 52-year-old man, right hand dominant, who presented to the Emergency Department with acute confusion for one day. He was disorientated to time, place and person. Focused neurological examination revealed atypical signs of acute stroke, comprising agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia and right-left disorientation. Stroke protocol was activated and he underwent computed tomography brain perfusion, which confirmed a large penumbra area at the left middle cerebral artery territory. Computed tomography angiogram of the carotid arteries showed a long segment thrombosis in the left internal carotid artery. Emergency thrombectomy was abandoned due to impenetrable hard thrombus. He was treated with dual antiplatelet therapy and discharged after three days with partial improvement in terms of following commands, simple calculations and reduced finger agnosia. He was scheduled for outpatient follow up. This case highlights Gerstmann syndrome as an atypical manifestation of acute stroke. 

Keywords : emergency, Gerstmann syndrome, stroke,

Correspondance Address
Ahmad Khaldun bin Ismail. Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +6013-3276273 Email: khaldun_ismail@yahoo.com


References
Altabakhi, I.W., Liang, J.W. 2019. Gerstmann Syndrome. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519528/ [28 June 2022] Buonanno, F.S., Schmahmann, J.D., Romero, J. M., Makar, R.S. 2016. CASE RECORDS of the MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL. Case 10-2016: A 22 year old man with Sickle Cell Disease, Headache, and Difficulty speaking. N Engl J Med 374(13): 1265-75. Dimitrov, I., Atanasova, S., Kaprelyan, A., Ivanov, B., Nestorova, V., Drenska, K, Chuperkova, Z., Aleksandrov, I. 2018. Gerstmann’s syndrome in a young man: A case report. Trakia J Sci 16(3): 239-41. Gerstmann, J. 1940. Syndrome of finger agnosia, disorientation for right and left, agraphia and acalculia: local diagnosic value. Arch NeuroPsych 44(2): 398-408 Ghiasian, M., Moradi, A., Daneshyar, S. 2019. Gerstmann’s syndrome in non-dominant hemisphere: a case report. The Journal of Urmia University of Medical Science 29(10): 716-8. Joao, R.B., Filgueiras, R.M., Mussi, M.L., de Barros, J. 2017. Transient Gertsmann’s Syndrome as a manifestation of stroke: Case report and brief literature review. Dement Neuropsychol 11(2): 202-5. Lee, E.J., Shin, H.Y., Noh, Y., Park, K.H., Park, H. M., Lee, Y.B., Shin, D.J., Sung, Y.H., Shin D.H. 2016. Two cases with cerebral infarction in the left middle frontal lobe presented as Gerstmann’s Syndrome. J Neurol Disord 4(7): 1-3. Long, N., Bassi, S., Pepito, D., Akhondi, H. 2019. Gerstmann Syndrome complicating polycythemia secondary to anabolic steroid use. BMJ Case Report CP 12(6): e229004 Mayer, E., Martory, M.D., Pegna, A.J., Landis, T., Delavelle, J., Annoni, J.M. 1999. A pure case of Gerstmann syndrome with a subangular lesion. Brain 122(6): 1107-20. Osawa, A., Maeshima, S. 2009. Gerstmann’s syndrome in a patient with left thalamic hemorrhage. Neurol Asia 14(2): 161-4. Patil. V.C., Kulkarni, A.R, 2019. Gerstmann’s syndrome: A rare clinical condition with a tetrad of symptoms. International Journal of Contemporary Medicine Surgery and Radiology 4(2): B173-5. Rusconi, E., Pinel, P., Dehaene, S., Kleinschmidt, A., 2009. The enigma of Gerstmann’s syndrome revisited: a telling tale of the vicissitudes of neuropsychology. Brain 133(2): 320-32 Sacco, R. L., Kasner, S.E., Broderick, J. P., Caplan, L. R., Connors, J.J., Culebras, A., Elkind, M.S., George, M.G., Hamdan, A.D., Higashida, R.T., et al.; American Heart Association Stroke Council, Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia; Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Epidemiology and Prevention; Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease; Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism. 2013. An updated definition of stroke for the 21st century: a statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke 44(7): 2064-89. Tucha, O., Steup, A., Smely. C., Lange, K.W. 1997. Toe agnosia in Gerstmann’s syndrome. J Neurol Neurosur Psychiatry 63(3): 399-403. Zamzuri, I., Neuro, M.S., Rahman, G.I., Muzaimi, M., Jafri, A.M. and Ruzman, N.N. 2012. Polymodal therapy for high grade gliomas: a case report of favourable outcomes following intraoperative radiation therapy. Med J Malaysia 67(1): 121-2. Zukic. S., Mrkonjic, Z., Sinanovic, O., Vidovic, M., Kojic. B. 2012. Gerstmann’s syndrome in acute stroke patients. Acta Inform 20(4): 242-3.