Simultaneous occurrence of the locked-in syndrome and ocular bobbing apropos of 2 cases
Révész, T.; Barnard, R.O.; Lipcsey, A.
Orvosi Hetilap 128(45): 2355-2358
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0030-6002 PMID: 3684251 Document Number: 294557
The authors describe two patients presenting the typical clinical picture of the "locked in" syndrome, in both cases associated with ocular bobbing. On neuropathological examination a pontine infarct in the first case, and a pontine haemorrhage in the second were found. An extensive bilateral damage to the tegmental and ventral structures at the caudal levels of the pons, and a widespread ventral lesion in the rest of the pons were established in both cases. The pontine haemorrhage spread into the left cerebral peduncle. the authors review the literature of the "locked in" syndrome associated with ocular bobbing and conclude that in this special syndrome there may be involvement of caudal pontine tegmental structures, beside involvement of the ventral areas, producing the typical picture of ocular bobbing. They think that the association of these two phenomena should not be regarded as very rare or exceptional thus giving important help in the diagnosis of pontine vascular processes.