Paresis of contralateral smooth pursuit and normal vestibular smooth eye movements after unilateral brainstem lesions. 1992

J L Johnston, and J A Sharpe, and M J Morrow
Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, Toronto Hospital Neurological Centre, Ontario, Canada.

Pursuit and vestibular smooth eye movements were measured in patients with lesions of the caudal brainstem tegmentum identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), with neuropathological correlation in 1 patient. Contralateral smooth pursuit gain was significantly lower than ipsilateral gain in each patient. Ipsilateral smooth pursuit gain was also subnormal in patients with unilateral pontine damage that caused slowing of ipsilateral saccades. Horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex gain and phase were normal. These quantitative correlations indicate that lesions of the pontine tegmentum that paralyze ipsilateral saccades can spare the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and that smooth pursuit movement and the vestibulo-ocular reflex can be impaired independently by pontine or medullary lesions. In contrast to lesions at other sites, unilateral lesions of the pontine or medullary tegmentum impair contralateral smooth pursuit more than ipsilateral pursuit movements. These findings provide evidence that a double decussating pathway mediates smooth pursuit; the first decussation is from the pons to the cerebellum, and the second decussation is from the vestibular nucleus to the contralateral abducens nucleus.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009759 Nystagmus, Pathologic Involuntary movements of the eye that are divided into two types, jerk and pendular. Jerk nystagmus has a slow phase in one direction followed by a corrective fast phase in the opposite direction, and is usually caused by central or peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Pendular nystagmus features oscillations that are of equal velocity in both directions and this condition is often associated with visual loss early in life. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p272) Convergence Nystagmus,Horizontal Nystagmus,Jerk Nystagmus,Pendular Nystagmus,Periodic Alternating Nystagmus,Rotary Nystagmus,See-Saw Nystagmus,Vertical Nystagmus,Conjugate Nystagmus,Dissociated Nystagmus,Fatigable Positional Nystagmus,Multidirectional Nystagmus,Non-Fatigable Positional Nystagmus,Permanent Nystagmus,Rebound Nystagmus,Retraction Nystagmus,Rotational Nystagmus,Spontaneous Ocular Nystagmus,Symptomatic Nystagmus,Temporary Nystagmus,Unidirectional Nystagmus,Non Fatigable Positional Nystagmus,Nystagmus, Conjugate,Nystagmus, Convergence,Nystagmus, Dissociated,Nystagmus, Fatigable Positional,Nystagmus, Horizontal,Nystagmus, Jerk,Nystagmus, Multidirectional,Nystagmus, Non-Fatigable Positional,Nystagmus, Pendular,Nystagmus, Periodic Alternating,Nystagmus, Permanent,Nystagmus, Rebound,Nystagmus, Retraction,Nystagmus, Rotary,Nystagmus, Rotational,Nystagmus, See-Saw,Nystagmus, Spontaneous Ocular,Nystagmus, Symptomatic,Nystagmus, Temporary,Nystagmus, Unidirectional,Nystagmus, Vertical,Ocular Nystagmus, Spontaneous,Pathologic Nystagmus,Positional Nystagmus, Non-Fatigable,See Saw Nystagmus
D009886 Ophthalmoplegia Paralysis of one or more of the ocular muscles due to disorders of the eye muscles, neuromuscular junction, supporting soft tissue, tendons, or innervation to the muscles. Oculomotor Paralysis,External Ophthalmoplegia,Internal Ophthalmoplegia,Ophthalmoparesis,External Ophthalmoplegias,Internal Ophthalmoplegias,Ophthalmopareses,Ophthalmoplegia, External,Ophthalmoplegia, Internal,Ophthalmoplegias,Ophthalmoplegias, External,Ophthalmoplegias, Internal,Paralysis, Oculomotor
D011698 Pursuit, Smooth Eye movements that are slow, continuous, and conjugate and occur when a fixed object is moved slowly. Pursuits, Smooth,Smooth Pursuit,Smooth Pursuits
D012027 Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular A reflex wherein impulses are conveyed from the cupulas of the SEMICIRCULAR CANALS and from the OTOLITHIC MEMBRANE of the SACCULE AND UTRICLE via the VESTIBULAR NUCLEI of the BRAIN STEM and the median longitudinal fasciculus to the OCULOMOTOR NERVE nuclei. It functions to maintain a stable retinal image during head rotation by generating appropriate compensatory EYE MOVEMENTS. Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex,Reflex, Vestibuloocular,Reflexes, Vestibo-Ocular,Reflexes, Vestibuloocular,Reflex, Vestibulo Ocular,Reflexes, Vestibo Ocular,Vestibo-Ocular Reflexes,Vestibulo Ocular Reflex,Vestibuloocular Reflex,Vestibuloocular Reflexes
D001927 Brain Diseases Pathologic conditions affecting the BRAIN, which is composed of the intracranial components of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. This includes (but is not limited to) the CEREBRAL CORTEX; intracranial white matter; BASAL GANGLIA; THALAMUS; HYPOTHALAMUS; BRAIN STEM; and CEREBELLUM. Intracranial Central Nervous System Disorders,Brain Disorders,CNS Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Intracranial Disorders,Encephalon Diseases,Encephalopathy,Intracranial CNS Disorders,Brain Disease,Brain Disorder,CNS Disorder, Intracranial,Encephalon Disease,Encephalopathies,Intracranial CNS Disorder
D001933 Brain Stem The part of the brain that connects the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES with the SPINAL CORD. It consists of the MESENCEPHALON; PONS; and MEDULLA OBLONGATA. Brainstem,Truncus Cerebri,Brain Stems,Brainstems,Cerebri, Truncus,Cerebrus, Truncus,Truncus Cerebrus
D005133 Eye Movements Voluntary or reflex-controlled movements of the eye. Eye Movement,Movement, Eye,Movements, Eye

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