RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Hypoactive–hypoalert behaviour and thalamic hypometabolism due to intracranial hypotension JF Practical Neurology JO Pract Neurol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 289 OP 292 DO 10.1136/practneurol-2016-001497 VO 17 IS 4 A1 Seamus Kearney A1 Peter Flynn A1 Simon Hughes A1 Wendy Spence A1 Mark Owen McCarron YR 2017 UL http://pn.bmj.com/content/17/4/289.abstract AB A 47-year-old man presented with a 9-year history of a hypoalert hypoactive behaviour syndrome, caused by the deep brain swelling variant of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Along with apathy with retained cognition, he had stable ataxia, impaired upgaze and episodes of central apnoea. MRI brain showed a sagging brainstem, pointed ventricles and reduced angle between the vein of Galen and the straight sinus, but no meningeal enhancement or subdural collections. A dopamine transporter scan showed preganglionic dopamine receptor deficiency; a fluorodeoxy glucose positron emission tomography scan showed bilateral hypothalamic hypometabolism. This variant of spontaneous intracranial hypotension may alter deep brain functioning within the basal ganglia and thalamus, causing the hypoactive-hypoalert behaviour phenotype.