A Case of Akinetic Mutism Caused by Volume Change of Cerebral Ventricles

ABSTRACT

Akinetic mutism is a syndrome caused by various etiologies, and characterized by silent immobility and preserved alertness. The repetitive ventriculoperitoneal shunt for the recurrent hydrocephalus can be a forerunner of that. We present a man with akinetic mutism following two times of ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision. Akinetic mutism of the patient may be caused by the damage on the ascending dopaminergic projections. Symptoms were not alleviated by the normalization of ventricular size but by a large dose of bromocriptine.