Ocular motor abnormalities in Wallenberg's lateral medullary syndrome.

Abstract

The ocular motor abnormalities that commonly occur in Wallenberg's lateral medullary syndrome are often unappreciated. These abnormalities include signs of dysfunction of ocular alignment (skew deviation, ocular tilt reaction, and environmental tilt), various types of nystagmus, smooth pursuit and gaze-holding abnormalities (eye deviation, ipsipulsion or lateropulsion, and impaired contralateral pursuit), and saccadic abnormalities (ipsipulsion and torsipulsion). These impairments of ocular motor control and their proposed mechanisms are discussed.