Executive dysfunction is related with decreased frontal lobe blood flow in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated executive dysfunction in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) using the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) and correlated the occurrence of executive dysfunction with cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction in the frontal lobe as assessed by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

DESIGN

Correlational study.

SUBJECTS

Twenty-two patients who underwent microsurgical clipping at least 3 months after SAH.

METHODS

This study evaluated the BADS and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III). In addition, it assessed activities of daily living (ADL). CBF was evaluated using SPECT. The patients were divided into the following groups according to the results of SPECT: (1) those with reduced CBF in the frontal lobe (reduced CBF group, n = 8) and (2) those with intact CBF (intact CBF group, n = 14).

RESULTS

The BADS score was significantly lower in the reduced CBF group compared with that of the intact CBF group, while there was no significant difference in the WAIS-III scores and ADL scale between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Although this result was conducted with a small sample size, executive dysfunction correlates with reduced CBF in the frontal lobes of SAH patients. A detailed evaluation of executive function is suggested in SAH patients, even if the patient's intelligence test and ADL scale reveal no abnormalities.