Downbeat nystagmus following classical heat stroke.
Cerebellar syndrome following classical heat stroke is rare. We report a case of a 39-year-old man who presented with a cerebellar syndrome including downbeat nystagmus. MRI taken after 3 days of admission was normal. The downbeat nystagmus lasted for 6 days and than gradually disappeared. The ataxia and dysmetria improved gradually over 2 months. A brain CT scan performed 3 months later revealed no cerebellar atrophy. This case is unique as there were no predisposing factors (e.g. hypomagnesemia) and follow-up revealed complete reversibility of the ophthalmological abnormality. It reveals that the vestibulocerebellum is particularly vulnerable to thermal injury.
Deleu
Dirk
D
Department of Neurology (Medicine), Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. doc_deleu@hotmail.com
El Siddig
Abbas
A
Kamran
Saadat
S
Kamha
Ahmed A
AA
Al Omary
Ibrahim Y M
IY
Zalabany
Hisham A
HA
D000328:Adult; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D018883:Heat Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology