Medial Inferior Pontine Syndrome:
Medial inferior pontine syndrome also known as Foville Syndrome is a condition associated with a contralateral hemiplegia. It is one of the brainstem stroke syndromes occurring when there is infarction of the medial inferior aspect of the pons due to occlusion of the paramedian branches of the basilar artery. Although medial pontine syndrome has many similarities to medial medullary syndrome, because it is located higher up the brainstem in the pons, it affects a different set of cranial nuclei.
Medial Inferior Pontine Syndrome, PART 1:
Medial Inferior Pontine Syndrome, PART 2:
Medial Inferior Pontine Syndrome involves the following:
- Corticospinal Tract: leads to contralateral spastic hemiparesis
- Medial Lemniscus: leads to contralateral loss of proprioception and vibration
- Abducens nerve (CN VI): leads to strabismus “ipsilateral lateral rectus muscle paralysis – the affected eye looks down and towards the nose”. Abducens never lesion localizes the lesion to inferior pons.
- Facial nerve (CN VII) nucleus: ipsilateral facial weakness
- Corticobulbar tract: leads to contralateral weakness of the lower half of the face
- Middle cerebellar peduncle: leads to ipsilateral ataxia
Signs & Symptoms
| SIDE | MANIFESTATION | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Contralateral | Weakness – upper and lower extremity | Corticospinal tract |
| Ipsilateral | Weakness – face – entire side | VII nucleus / fascicle |
| Ipsilateral | Lateral gaze weakness | PPRF or CN VI nucleus |
References for Medial Inferior Pontine Syndrome