ISOLATED FOOT DROP DUE TO CEREBRAL INFARCTION: A RARE PRESENTATION MIMICKING PERONEAL NEUROPATHY

Zamoum Mourad, Kassouri Nora, Ameur El Koudoud Wahiba

Turkish Journal of Neurology - 2025;31(4):458-462

Department of Neuromuscular, Ben Aknoun Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine of Algiers, Algiers, Algeria

 

Foot drop is a common neurological condition characterized by weakness in dorsiflexion of the foot, often resulting from peripheral nervous system disorders. However, isolated foot drop due to central nervous system lesions is exceedingly rare. This case report described a 52-year-old male with isolated foot drop due to a subacute cerebral infarction. The patient's initial presentation suggested peroneal neuropathy; however, further diagnostic workup, including nerve conduction studies, electromyography, and brain imaging, revealed a cortical infarction in the right frontal parasagittal area. This case emphasized the importance of considering central nervous system causes in cases of isolated foot drop and highlighted the need for timely diagnosis to prevent diagnostic delays.