Abolished laser-evoked potentials and normal blink reflex in midlateral medullary infarction.
We investigated two patients presenting with the rare finding of almost isolated hemianalgesia with a sensory level on the contralateral side sparing the face. Clinical findings, electrophysiological studies (absent laser-evoked pain-related somatosensory potentials, normal electrically evoked somatosensory potentials, magnetically evoked potentials, and blink reflexes), and magnetic resonance imaging showed the ventrolateral medullar tegmentum containing the spinothalamic tract to be affected by lacunar infarction. The blink reflex R2 component was unimpaired in both patients.
University of Mainz, Germany.
P P
PP
Urban
C
C
Hansen
U
U
Baumgärtner
S
S
Fitzek
J
J
Marx
C
C
Fitzek
R D
RD
Treede
H C
HC
Hopf
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000098:blood supply*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012016:Reference Values