Mutism in an adult following hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage: nosological discussion and illustrative case

Abstract

Mutism after cerebellar injury has been associated with tumors, hemorrhage, and surgery of midline cerebellar structures. Literature review identified 54 cases, primarily in children after surgical splitting of the inferior vermis. We present a 47-year-old who developed transient mutism after cerebellar hemorrhage. This represents the first report of transient mutism in an adult with neither tumor nor brainstem infarction and documents the importance of cerebellar structures for initiation and production of speech in adulthood. This case further differs from those previous because of the long mute period and the subsequent return of continued ataxic and dysarthric speech.