Torsional deviations with voluntary saccades caused by a unilateral midbrain lesion

Kremmyda, Olympia; Büttner, Ulrich; Glasauer, Stefan and Büttner-Ennever, Jean A. (2007): Torsional deviations with voluntary saccades caused by a unilateral midbrain lesion. In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, Vol. 78, No. 10: pp. 1155-1157

Abstract

Three dimensional eye rotations were measured using the magnetic search coil technique in a patient with a lesion of the right rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus (RIMLF) and in four control subjects. Up to 10° contralesional torsional deviations with each voluntary saccade were revealed, which also could be seen during bedside examination. There was no spontaneous nystagmus. Based on MRI criteria, the lesion involved the RIMLF but spared the interstitial nucleus of Cajal. To date, this deficit has not been described in patients. Our results support the hypothesis that the vertical--torsional saccade generator in humans is organised similarly as in monkeys: each RIMLF encodes torsional saccades in one direction, while both participate in vertical saccades.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• Alliance/National Licence: This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.
• Language: English