Acute spasticity secondary to ischemic stroke involving superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus

Abstract

Spasticity is a velocity-dependent increase in muscle resistance associated with hypertonia after an acute stroke. Spasticity is expected to appear within a few weeks due to different mechanisms; we are reporting acute spasticity observed at the time of ischemic stroke involving the superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus. A healthy 64-year-old male patient suffered from subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to aneurysmal rupture of the anterior communicating artery. He was referred to our center and treated with percutaneous transluminal coil embolization. In post-coiling, he developed acute left-sided weakness and spasticity. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed an acute ischemic stroke involving the superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus. Patient follow-up showed improvement of weakness and spasticity. Therefore, acute spasticity can be related to a stroke involving the superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus.

Keywords: Case report; Cingulate gyrus; Complication; Ischemic stroke; Spasticity; Superior frontal gyrus.