title: Ipsilateral facial weakness in upper medullary infarction-supranuclear or infranuclear origin?
abstract: We describe two patients with upper medullary infarctions showing ipsilateral facial weakness and relative sparing of the upper facial muscles. Electrophysiological follow-up using transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex in combination with stimulation of the peripheral facial nerve disclosed a supranuclear (corticofacial) tract lesion in one patient and a partial nuclear/infranuclear intra-axial facial nerve lesion in another.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, D-55101 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wicht
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fitzek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thömke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fitzek
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hopf
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology