[Crossed aphasia or dysexecutive syndrome? A case report].

The case of a female dextral patient (MN) is reported. MN sustained a partial frontotemporal infarction in the right hemisphere. Clinically, MN presented herself mainly with aphasic symptoms. The dextrality of the patient and the laterality of the lesion as well as the nature of language deficits would legitimate the diagnosis of a crossed aphasia, implying paradoxical lateralization of language in MN. However, comprehensive neuropsychological assessment revealed the presence of a global dysexecutive syndrome in MN, suggesting a general cognitive impairment, part of which must be the aphasic symptoms. General issues regarding the relationship between language and cognition and the lateralization of cognitive functions are discussed.