Foville's syndrome
Encyclopedia
Foville's syndrome is caused by the blockage of the perforating branches of the basilar artery
in the region of the brainstem known as the pons
.
Structures affected by the infarct are the PPRF, nuclei of cranial nerves VI and VII
, corticospinal tract
, medial lemniscus
, and the medial longitudinal fasciculus
.
and facial nerve palsy and contralateral hemiparesis
, hemisensory loss, and internuclear ophthalmoplegia
.
Basilar artery
In human anatomy, the basilar artery is one of the arteries that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood.The two vertebral arteries and the basilar artery are sometimes together called the vertebrobasilar system, which supplies blood to the posterior part of circle of Willis and anastomoses with...
in the region of the brainstem known as the pons
Pons
The pons is a structure located on the brain stem, named after the Latin word for "bridge" or the 16th-century Italian anatomist and surgeon Costanzo Varolio . It is superior to the medulla oblongata, inferior to the midbrain, and ventral to the cerebellum. In humans and other bipeds this means it...
.
Structures affected by the infarct are the PPRF, nuclei of cranial nerves VI and VII
Facial nerve
The facial nerve is the seventh of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the brainstem between the pons and the medulla, and controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and oral cavity...
, corticospinal tract
Corticospinal tract
The corticospinal or pyramidal tract is a collection of axons that travel between the cerebral cortex of the brain and the spinal cord....
, medial lemniscus
Medial lemniscus
The medial lemniscus, also known as Reil's band or Reil's ribbon, is a pathway in the brainstem that carries sensory information from the gracile and cuneate nuclei to the thalamus.-Path:...
, and the medial longitudinal fasciculus
Medial longitudinal fasciculus
The medial longitudinal fasciculus is a pair of crossed fiber tracts , one on each side of the brainstem. These bundles of axons are situated near the midline of the brainstem and are composed of both ascending and descending fibers that arise from a number of sources and terminate in different...
.
Presentation
This produces ipsilateral horizontal gaze palsyHorizontal gaze palsy
A gaze palsy is the paresis of conjugate eye movements.Horizontal gaze palsy may be caused by lesions in the cerebral hemispheres, which cause paresis of gaze away from the side of the lesion, or from brain stem lesions, which, if they occur below the crossing of the fibers from the frontal eye...
and facial nerve palsy and contralateral hemiparesis
Hemiparesis
Hemiparesis is weakness on one side of the body. It is less severe than hemiplegia - the total paralysis of the arm, leg, and trunk on one side of the body. Thus, the patient can move the impaired side of his body, but with reduced muscular strength....
, hemisensory loss, and internuclear ophthalmoplegia
Internuclear ophthalmoplegia
Internuclear ophthalmoplegia is a disorder of conjugate lateral gaze in which the affected eye shows impairment of adduction. When an attempt is made to gaze contralaterally , the affected eye adducts minimally, if at all. The contralateral eye abducts, however with nystagmus...
.