Upbeat-torsional nystagmus and contralateral fourth-nerve palsy due to unilateral dorsal ponto mesencephalic lesion

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 May:1164:476-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2008.03713.x.

Abstract

The central projections of the anterior semicircular canals are thought to be conveyed from the vestibular nuclei to the oculomotor nuclei in the midbrain by three distinct brainstem pathways: the medial longitudinal fasciculus, crossing ventral tegmental tract, and brachium conjunctivum. There is controversy as to whether upbeat nystagmus could result from lesions involving each of these pathways. We report a 52-year-old man who presented with a contralesional fourth-nerve palsy and primary-position upbeat-torsional nystagmus due to a small unilateral dorsal pontomesencephalic lymphomatous deposit. It is postulated that the upbeat-torsional nystagmus was caused by involvement of the brachium conjunctivum, which lies adjacent to the fourth-nerve fascicles at the dorsal pontomesencephalic junction, but involvement of the crossing ventral tegmental tract cannot be excluded. These observations suggest that, in humans, excitatory upward-torsional eye movement signals from the anterior semicircular canals could be partly conveyed to the midbrain by the brachium conjunctivum.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Mesencephalon / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nystagmus, Pathologic / complications*
  • Nystagmus, Pathologic / diagnosis
  • Trochlear Nerve Diseases / complications*
  • Trochlear Nerve Diseases / diagnosis