Lateral pontine syndrome
Encyclopedia
A lateral pontine syndrome is a lesion which is similar to the Lateral medullary syndrome
, but because it occurs in the pons
, it also involves the cranial nerve nuclei of the pons.
.
Lateral medullary syndrome
Lateral medullary syndrome is a disease in which the patient has a constellation of neurologic symptoms due to injury to the lateral part of the medulla in the brain, resulting in tissue ischemia and necrosis.-Signs and symptoms:This syndrome is characterized by sensory deficits affecting...
, but because it occurs in 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...
, it also involves the cranial nerve nuclei of the pons.
Causes
It can be caused by an interruption to the blood supply of the anterior inferior cerebellar arteryAnterior inferior cerebellar artery
The anterior inferior cerebellar artery arises from the basilar artery at the level of the junction between the medulla oblongata and the pons in the brainstem. It passes backward to be distributed to the anterior part of the undersurface of the cerebellum, anastomosing with the posterior inferior...
.
Symptoms
Damage to the following areas produces symptoms (from medial to lateral):| Structure affected | Effect |
|---|---|
| Lateral spinothalamic tract Lateral spinothalamic tract The lateral spinothalamic tract , which is a part of the Anterolateral system, is a bundle of sensory axons ascending through the white matter of the spinal cord, carrying sensory information to the brain. It carries pain and temperature sensory information to the thalamus of the brain... |
Contralateral loss of pain and temperature from the trunk and extremities. |
| Facial nucleus & facial Nerve (CN.VII) | (1) Ipsilateral paralysis of the upper and lower face (lower motor neuron lesion). (2) Ipsilateral loss of lacrimation and reduced salivation. (3) Ipsilateral loss of taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. (4) Loss of corneal relfex (efferent limb). |
| Spinal trigeminal nucleus Spinal trigeminal nucleus The spinal trigeminal nucleus is a nucleus in the medulla that receives information about deep/crude touch, pain, and temperature from the ipsilateral face. The facial, glossopharyngeal, and vagus nerves also convey pain information from their areas to the spinal trigeminal nucleus.This nucleus... and tract |
Ipsilateral loss of pain and temperature sensation from the face (facial hemianesthesia) |
| Vestibular Nuclei and intraaxial nerve fibers | Nystagmus, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo |
| Cochlear nuclei and intraxial nerve fibers | Hearing loss - ipsilateral central deafness |
| Middle & inferior cerebellar peduncle | Ipsilateral limb and gait ataxia Ataxia Ataxia is a neurological sign and symptom that consists of gross lack of coordination of muscle movements. Ataxia is a non-specific clinical manifestation implying dysfunction of the parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum... |
| Descending sympathetic tract | Ipsilateral Horner's syndrome (ptosis, miosis, & anhydrosis) |
External links
- http://isc.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/lesions/18.htm - inferior
- http://isc.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/lesions/20.htm - mid
- http://isc.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/lesions/22.htm - superior