Diseases of the thalamus

Damage to certain nuclei of the thalamus , for example, resulting from a cerebrovascular accident (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke ), or as a result of metastasis of a malignant tumor into the thalamus, can lead to the development of the so-called "Degerin-Russi syndrome", or thalamic pain syndrome, thalamic causalgia syndrome - a syndrome characterized by extremely intense, non-localized or poorly localized, burning sensations or burning pain (whence, in fact, the name “thalamic kau laggia ”, from“ caustic ”- burning) in one or both halves of the body, as well as mood swings or depression . ^[1] This syndrome is named after the French neurologists Degerin and Russi, who first described it in 1906 under the name "thalamic syndrome" ( fr. Le syndrome talamique ). ^{[1] [2]}

However, thalamic syndrome is often called not only thalamic pain syndrome, as in the initial definition of Dejerine and Russi, but any clinical syndromes associated with the defeat of the thalamus. So, in particular, single- or, more often, bilateral ischemia of the area supplied by the paramedian artery can cause serious problems with the regulation of motor, oculomotor and speech functions, up to the development of ataxia or akinetic mutism (dumbness and immobility), or paralysis of the eye. ^[3] Thalamo-cortical dysrhythmia can cause disturbances in the sleep and wake cycle. Percheron artery occlusion can lead to bilateral thalamus infarction. ^[four]

Korsakov’s syndrome (retrograde amnesia syndrome) is associated with damage or dysfunction of the thalamo-hippocampal connections, in particular, the mamillothalamic pathway, the mastoid bodies or the thalamus itself, and it is sometimes called “thalamic amnesia”. ^[five]

Fatal familial insomnia is a rare hereditary prion disease in which degenerative changes in the thalamus neurons gradually increase. As a result of this, the patient gradually loses the ability to fall asleep and sleep, and ultimately goes into a state of complete insomnia , which invariably leads to death. ^[6] In contrast, damage to the thalamus as a result of trauma, neuroinfection, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, or tumor damage to it, can lead to lethargic sleep or coma.