Diaschisis and neurobehavior

Abstract

We review forms of diaschisis and their relationship with neurobehavioral and neuropsychological findings. The following forms of diaschisis are discussed: (1) cortico-cerebellar diaschisis; (2) cerebello- cortical diaschisis; (3) transhemispheric diaschisis; (4) cortico-thalamic diaschisis; (5) thalamo-cortical diaschisis; and (6) basal ganglia-cortical diaschisis. For each form, the neurobehavioral and neuropsychological findings are discussed. Diaschisis can be classified from the behavioral point of view as follows: (1) forms in which the metabolic effect at distance is not followed by neurobehavioral impairment; (2) forms in which the remote metabolic impairment could induce neurobehavioral and neuropsychological disorders; and (3) forms in which the role of the lesion itself and its remote metabolic effects on the production of neurobehavioral and neuropsychological abnormalities cannot be disentangled.