Post-stroke violent adventitial movement responsive to levo-dopa/carbi-dopa therapy

Abstract

Previous reports in the literature concerning cerebrovascular accident have illustrated cases of post-stroke tremor. Treatments of these studies have varied. Trials of levo-dopa have been reported in two such cases. This case study reports on a case of a patient with a left thalamic, left superior cerebellar artery infarction with a lacunar infarction in the basal ganglia. The patient developed a violent tremor/movement disorder which was unresponsive to haloperidol. With this failure, and with the evidence of a basal ganglion lesion, levo-dopa/carbi-dopa was introduced as an intervention. The amplitude of the tremor was dramatically reduced, with protective devices removed, and with complete cessation of the tremor at rest. The medication was withdrawn and reintroduced with a reduction and subsequent resolution of the symptoms. A discussion of the previous studies of movement disorder with cerebrovascular accident is included.