[Crocodile tears and retraction syndrome].
BACKGROUND
An association between crocodile tears and Duane's syndrome has been described in more than 50 cases.


METHODS
A 29-year-old man had tearing of his right eye whenever he ate something sour. At psychic weeping his right eye remained dry. In addition, he had Duane's retraction syndrome, also in the right eye.


CONCLUSIONS
In this case of congenital crocodile tears with an ipsilateral Duane's syndrome the normal function of the facial muscles suggests that the abnormal coupling between the gustatory nucleus and the lacrimal gland is not located in the facial nerve proximal to the Ganglion geniculi, as in most acquired cases. Rather, the abnormal coupling may be located in the brainstem. The association with Duane's syndrome indicates that abnormal innervational coupling is present also in the ocular motor domaine.
Molinari
A
A
Oftalmologia Pediatrica, Hospital Metropolitano, Quito, Ecuador.
D000010:Abducens Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology; D004370:Duane Retraction Syndrome / Q000151:congenital* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000294:innervation; D008297:Male; D009802:Oculomotor Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*