Items tagged “brainstem”

Inferior medial pontine syndrome, also known as Foville syndrome, is one of the brainstem stroke syndromes occurring when there is infarction of the medial inferior aspect of the pons due to occlusion of the paramedian branches of the basilar artery 1-3. This infarction involves the following 1-...

Lateral pontine syndrome, also known as Marie-Foix syndrome or Marie-Foix-Alajouanine syndrome, refers to one of the brainstem stroke syndromes of the lateral aspect of the pons. Clinical presentation There is a characteristic clinical presentation 1,2,4: ipsilateral limb ataxia: cerebellar ...

Hemimedullary syndrome, also known as Reinhold syndrome, occurs as a result of the occlusion of the ipsilateral vertebral artery proximal to the posterior inferior cerebellar artery and its anterior spinal artery branches 1-3. This situation causes lateral medullary infarct and medial medullary ...

Millard-Gubler syndrome, also known as ventral pontine syndrome, is one of the crossed paralysis syndromes, which are characterized by cranial nerves VI and VII palsies with contralateral body motor or sensory disturbances 1-3. Clinical presentation ipsilateral facial and contralateral body he...

Raymond syndrome is a posterior circulatory stroke syndrome due to a lesion in the ventral medial mid-pons. It is an extremely rare condition, with only a handful of cases described in the literature. Clinical presentation Clinically, 2 subtypes have been reported 1: classic type abducens ne...

The rule of 4 of the brainstem elegantly simplifies and explains the anatomy of the brainstem and the basis for various brainstem stroke syndromes. This article summarizes the original four rules 1-3, associated important clinical deficits, important exceptions, and provides two examples of thei...

Nothnagel syndrome is a rare midbrain syndrome that involves the tectum of the midbrain (quadrigeminal plate) and superior cerebellar peduncles 1-4,6. Clinical presentation Classically, the syndrome involves the oculomotor nerve fascicles and superior cerebellar peduncle, leading to ipsilatera...

Babinski-Nageotte syndrome is thought to be a brainstem stroke syndrome in between that of the hemimedullary syndrome (Reinhold syndrome) and the lateral medullary syndrome (Wallenberg syndrome), but distinct to that of Cestan-Chenais syndrome 1,2.  Terminology In many texts this eponymous syn...

Internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) describes a clinical syndrome of impaired adduction in one eye with dissociated horizontal nystagmus of the other abducting eye, due to a lesion in the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) ipsilateral to the eye unable to adduct. It is a common finding in multi...

A number of cell groups in the reticular formation of the pons and medulla are responsible for the central control of the respiratory cycle: inspiratory center (a.k.a. dorsal respiratory group) - bilateral groups of cells in the region of the nucleus of the tractus solitarius in the dorsum of t...

The superior olivary nuclei (or complex, SOC) are a group of nuclei within the pons contributing to the ascending and descending auditory pathways. Gross anatomy The superior olivary nuclei are located in the pons, while the inferior olivary nuclei are located in the medulla. It is generally s...

Gasperini syndrome is a rare pontine stroke syndrome that involves the caudal pontine tegmentum. Clinical presentation Classically, the syndrome presents with 1-3: involvement of the CN V nucleus (sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve): ipsilateral facial sensory loss involvement of the CN...

Brissaud-Sicard syndrome is a very rare pontine stroke syndrome that involves the anterolateral and inferior pons. Clinical presentation Classically, the syndrome presents as ipsilateral facial cramps and contralateral hemiparesis 1-3. Pathology It has been postulated that the syndrome is ca...

The inferior olivary nuclei (or ION) are two C-shaped nuclei located within the medulla oblongata, implicated in motor coordination. Gross anatomy The inferior olivary nuclei are located in the superior medulla, just below the pons. They are an irregular mass of crenated C-shaped grey matter, ...

The olive is the ventral oval prominence in the medulla oblongata which contains the inferior olivary nucleus, implicated in motor co-ordination. Gross anatomy The olive is a smooth ovoid prominence just below the pons. It is located in the superior medulla, lateral to the pyramid and ventrola...

Cestan-Chenais syndrome is a rare brainstem stroke syndrome with features between that of the hemimedullary syndrome (Reinhold syndrome) and the lateral medullary syndrome (Wallenberg syndrome), but distinct to that of Babinski-Nageotte syndrome 1,2.  Clinical presentation Cestan-Chenais syndr...