Residual neurovascular function and retinotopy in a case of hemianopia.

INTRODUCTION

For occipital cortex strokes resulting in vision disorders, questions about the viability of residual visual cortex remain.

CLINICAL PICTURE: In a patient with a one-year-old, left, complete, homonymous hemianopia due to a right, posterior cerebral artery, ischaemic infarct, we assessed the visual cortex with fMRI retinotopic mapping prior to starting vision restoration therapy.

OUTCOME: The patient was found to have residual neurovascular function and retinotopic representation in the surviving visual cortex around the infarcted area.

CONCLUSION

The ability to respond to stimuli in part of the blind field, though not consciously perceived, suggests the potential for recovery.