Brainstem involvement in Sjögren's syndrome-related sensory neuronopathy.
OBJECTIVE
Sensory neuronopathies (SN) are peripheral nervous system disorders associated with degeneration of dorsal root ganglion neurons. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown abnormalities limited to T2-weighted high signal intensity in the posterior columns.


RESULTS
A 65-year-old woman with Sjögren syndrome had slowly progressive unsteadiness of gait and limb paresthesias. A blink reflex examination suggested a paramedian brainstem lesion, confirmed by MRI.


CONCLUSIONS
Sjögren's syndrome-related SN may be associated with a more diffuse immune-mediated aggression, involving also the brainstem, and leading to some of the blink reflex abnormalities observed in nonparaneoplastic SN.
Damasceno
Alfredo
A
Departments of Neurology, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil. alfredodamasceno@hotmail.com
França
Marcondes C
MC
Zanardi
Verônica A
VA
Nucci
Anamarli
A
D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000473:pathology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*