title: Bilateral ptosis due to mesencephalic lesions with relative preservation of ocular motility.
abstract: Three cases of bilateral ptosis with relatively normal ocular motility are presented. In two of the patients, neuroimaging demonstrated lesions in the region of the third cranial nerve subnuclei. These unusual clinical presentations are due to isolated involvement of the central caudal nucleus supplying the bilateral levator muscles, with, virtually complete sparing of other third cranial nerve structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine/Wake Forest University, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Babikian
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Currier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009802:Oculomotor Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology