6533b85efe1ef96bd12c0883

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Medullary infarcts may cause ipsilateral masseter reflex abnormalities.

Hanns Christian HopfFrank ThömkeGiorgio CruccuJürgen MarxPeter Stoeter

subject

MaleBrain Stem InfarctionsPhysiologyMotor nerveFunctional LateralitymethodsMasseter muscleCellular and Molecular NeuroscienceImaging Three-Dimensionalpathology/physiopathologyPhysiology (medical)80 and overmedicinethree-dimensionalHumansmriAgedAged 80 and overMedulla OblongataBlinkingReflex Abnormalbusiness.industryMasseter Muscle80 and over; abnormal; aged; blinking; brain stem infarctions; female; functional laterality; humans; imaging; magnetic resonance imaging; male; masseter muscle; masseter reflex; medulla oblongata; medullary infarct; methods; middle aged; mri; pathology/physiopathology; physiology; physiopathology; reflex; three-dimensionalimagingreflexAnatomyMiddle AgedMagnetic Resonance Imagingmedicine.anatomical_structureSpinal nervemasseter reflexReflexMedulla oblongataFemalemedullary infarctNeurology (clinical)BrainstemphysiopathologybusinessabnormalJaw jerk reflexSensory nerve

description

There is a suprasegmental influence on the masseter reflex (MassR) in animals, which is mediated via the fifth nerve spinal nucleus (5SpN). Corresponding data in humans are lacking. Out of 268 prospectively recruited patients with clinical signs of acute brainstem infarctions, we identified 38 with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-documented unilateral infarcts caudal to the levels of the fifth nerve motor and main sensory nuclei. All had biplanar T2- and echo planar diffusion-weighted MRI and MassR testing. Five patients (13%) had ipsilateral MassR abnormalities. In all, the infarcts involved the region of the 5SpN. Patients with medullary infarcts involving the region of the 5SpN may thus have ipsilateral MassR abnormalities. This possibly represents an interruption of an excitatory projection mediated via the 5SpN to masseter motoneurons in the fifth nerve motor nucleus. MassR abnormalities with medullary lesions restrict the topodiagnostic value of the MassR.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2007-07-28Musclenerve
10.1002/mus.20829https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17657800