A brainstem stroke syndrome falls under the broader category of

stroke syndromes Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

, or specific symptoms caused by vascular injury to an area of brain (for example, the lacunar syndromes). As the

brainstem The brainstem (or brain stem) is the posterior stalk-like part of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. In the human brain the brainstem is composed of the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblongata. The midbrain is conti ...

contains numerous cranial nuclei and

white matter White matter refers to areas of the central nervous system that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called Nerve tract, tracts. Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain functions, modulating the distr ...

tracts, a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

in this area can have a number of unique symptoms depending on the particular blood vessel that was injured and the group of cranial nerves and tracts that are no longer perfused. Symptoms of a brainstem stroke frequently include sudden

vertigo Vertigo is a condition in which a person has the sensation that they are moving, or that objects around them are moving, when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, perspira ...

and

ataxia Ataxia (from Greek α- negative prefix+ -τάξις rder= "lack of order") is a neurological sign consisting of lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements that can include gait abnormality, speech changes, and abnormalities in e ...

, with or without weakness. Brainstem stroke can also cause

diplopia Diplopia is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object that may be displaced in relation to each other. Also called double vision, it is a loss of visual focus under regular conditions, and is often voluntary. However, when occ ...

, slurred speech and decreased level of consciousness. A more serious outcome is

locked-in syndrome Locked-in syndrome (LIS), also known as pseudocoma, is a condition in which a patient is aware but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in their body except for vertical eye movements and ...

Syndromes

* The midbrain syndromes (Significant overlap between these three syndromes) ** Superior alternating hemiplegia or

Weber's syndrome Weber's syndrome, also known as midbrain stroke syndrome or superior alternating hemiplegia, is a form of stroke that affects the medial portion of the midbrain. It involves oculomotor fascicles in the interpeduncular cisterns and cerebral peduncl ...

** Paramedian midbrain syndrome or

Benedikt's syndrome Benedikt syndrome, also called Benedikt's syndrome or paramedian midbrain syndrome, is a rare type of posterior circulation stroke of the brain, with a range of neurological symptoms affecting the midbrain, cerebellum and other related structures. ...

Claude's syndrome Claude's syndrome is a form of brainstem stroke syndrome characterized by the presence of an ipsilateral oculomotor nerve palsy, contralateral hemiparesis, contralateral ataxia, and contralateral hemiplegia of the lower face, tongue, and shoulder ...

Medial pontine syndrome Medial inferior pontine syndrome is a condition associated with a contralateral hemiplegia."Medial inferior pontine syndrome" has been described as equivalent to Foville's syndrome. Presentation Although medial pontine syndrome has many similarit ...

Middle alternating hemiplegia Middle or The Middle may refer to: * Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits. Places * Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man * Middle Bay (disambiguation) * Middle Brook (disambiguation) * Middle Creek ...

Foville's syndrome Foville's syndrome is caused by the blockage of the perforating branches of the basilar artery in the region of the brainstem known as the pons. It is most frequently caused by lesions such as vascular disease and tumors involving the dorsal pons. ...

Lateral pontine syndrome Lateral pontine syndrome, also known as Marie-Foix syndrome or Marie-Foix-Alajouanine syndrome is one of the brainstem stroke syndromes of the lateral aspect of the pons. A lateral pontine syndrome is a lesion which is similar to the lateral medull ...

or Marie-Foix syndrome *

Medial medullary syndrome Medial medullary syndrome, also known as inferior alternating syndrome, hypoglossal alternating hemiplegia, lower alternating hemiplegia, or Dejerine syndrome, is a type of alternating hemiplegia characterized by a set of clinical features result ...

Inferior alternating hemiplegia Inferior may refer to: * Inferiority complex * An anatomical term of location * Inferior angle of the scapula, in the human skeleton * ''Inferior'' (book), by Angela Saini * ''The Inferior'', a 2007 novel by Peadar Ó Guilín * Inferior good: eco ...

Lateral medullary syndrome Lateral medullary syndrome is a neurological disorder causing a range of symptoms due to ischemia in the lateral part of the medulla oblongata in the brainstem. The ischemia is a result of a blockage most commonly in the vertebral artery or the p ...

Wallenberg syndrome Lateral medullary syndrome is a neurological disorder causing a range of symptoms due to ischemia in the lateral part of the medulla oblongata in the brainstem. The ischemia is a result of a blockage most commonly in the vertebral artery or the p ...

History

A history of locked in syndromes.

Jean-Dominique Bauby

Parisian journalist

Jean-Dominique Bauby Jean-Dominique Bauby (; 23 April 1952 – 9 March 1997) was a French journalist, author and editor of the French fashion magazine ''Elle''. Early life and career Bauby was born in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, and grew up in the 1st arrondi ...

had a

in December 1995, and, when he awoke 20 days later, he found his body was almost completely paralyzed; he could control only his left eyelid. By blinking this eye, he slowly dictated one alphabetic character at a time and, in so doing, was able over a great deal of time to write his memoir, ''

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ''The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'' (original French title: ''Le Scaphandre et le Papillon'') is a memoir by journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. It describes his life before and after a massive stroke left him with locked-in syndrome. The French ...

''. Three days after it was published in March 1997, Bauby died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

. The 2007 film ''

'' is a screen adaptation of Bauby's memoir. Jean-Dominique was instrumental in forming the ''Association du Locked-In Syndrome'' (ALIS) in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

References

External links

{{Lesions of spinal cord, brainstem, and cortex Types of stroke Syndromes affecting the nervous system

Syndromes

History

Jean-Dominique Bauby

See also

References

External links