Abstract

A unique behavioural syndrome in humans followed two separate strokes involving both parietotemporal regions. The behavioural alterations resemble those of Denny-Brown and Chambers' monkey with bilateral ablation of the parietal lobe which were characterised by strong withdrawal or refusal to be touched on the limbs and head. In both humans and animals, touch on the limbs or head elicited exaggerated withdrawal movements and refusal to be touched on the lips and tongue resulted in difficulty in feeding. These behavioural alterations can be interpreted as loss of exploratory activities towards extrapersonal space, or more positively, as rejection of contact with the environment. This rejection behaviour in which tactile, visual, and/or gustatory exploration tendencies are altered, is a counterpart of human frontal lobe syndrome and human Klüver-Bucy syndrome.