Upward gaze palsy and convergence insufficiency as a rare presentation of primary intraventricular haemorrhage

A primary intraventricular haemorrhage (PIVH) usually presents with non-localised neurological symptoms since the haematoma is limited to the ventricles. However, it is sometimes associated with focal neurological signs, whose pathophysiologies are not confirmed. Here, we report on a case of PIVH who showed rare manifestations in the acute stage: upward gaze palsy and convergence insufficiency. The CT and MRI showed intraventricular haematoma without evidence of parenchymal haemorrhage, local mass effect around midbrain or hydrocephalus. There had been bilateral papilloedema, and it resolved along with improvement of the ophthalmic symptoms, suggesting a possible causal relation to increased intracranial pressure. The ophthalmic abnormalities suggested injury of the rostral part of the midbrain, especially the region around the dorsal midbrain tectum. It should be known that PIVH is one of the causes of acutely developing upward gaze palsy and convergence insufficiency.

Vertical gaze palsy and intraoral numbness in a patient with neuro-psychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report and literature review

We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus with clinical presentation of bilateral upward gaze palsy and intraoral numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was able to identify the pathogenic lesion at the left side of midbrain, involving the vertical gaze center and sensory pathways for innervating the buccal and hard palate mucosa. A course of aggressive immunosuppressive treatment resulted in prompt resolution of gaze palsy and the midbrain lesion.

Acute upward gaze palsy: Not always Parinaud syndrome

Introduction: Parinaud syndrome, caused by midbrain infarction, usually manifests as an ocular conjugate upgaze palsy. However, this sign should not point out straightforwardly to Parinaud syndrome, as other lesions in the central nervous system could cause it. Case description: The case of a 47-year-old woman showing acute onset of diplopia with bilateral upward gaze palsy is described. Parinaud syndrome was suspected on clinical grounds. However, brain magnetic resonance imaging displayed an acute ischemic lesion in the right anteromedial thalamus. Conclusions: Bilateral upward gaze palsy may be caused by unilateral thalamic infarction. The mechanism by which a unilateral thalamic lesion causes bilateral gaze palsy is discussed.

Bilateral ptosis without upward gaze palsy: Unusual presentation of midbrain tuberculoma

ABSTRACTCentral nervous system tuberculoma can have variable presentations depending on the site and number of tuberculomas. We are reporting a rare case of an 11-year-old male child presenting with ptosis and ataxia. Clinical examination revealed bilateral partial 3rd cranial nerve palsy (ptosis without any upward gaze palsy) associated with dysdiadochokinesia and ataxia on the right side. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a single ring-enhancing lesion in the dorsal midbrain with perifocal edema. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy provided the etiological information as tuberculoma.

Ophthalmological outcome after resection of tumors based on the pineal gland

Object Descriptions of visual dysfunction in pineal gland tumors tend to focus on upward gaze palsy alone. The authors aimed to characterize the nature, incidence, and functional significance of ophthalmological dysfunction after resection of tumors based on the pineal gland. Methods Review of a retrospective case series was performed and included consecutive patients who underwent surgery performed by a consultant neurosurgeon between 2002 and 2011. Only tumors specifically based on the pineal gland were included; tumors encroaching on the pineal gland from other regions were excluded. All patients with visual signs and/or symptoms were reviewed by a specialist consultant neuroophthalmologist to accurately characterize the nature of their deficits. Visual disturbance was defined as visual symptoms caused by a disturbance of ocular motility. Results A total of 20 patients underwent resection of pineal gland tumors. Complete resection was obtained in 85%, and there were no perioperative deaths. Visual disturbance was present in 35% at presentation; of those who had normal ocular motility preoperatively 82% had normal motility postoperatively. In total, 55% of patients had residual visual disturbance postoperatively. Although upward gaze tended to improve, significant functional deficits remained, particularly with regard to complex convergence and accommodation dysfunction. Prisms were used in 25% but were only ever partially effective. Visual outcome was only related to preoperative visual status and tumor volume (multivariate analysis). Conclusions Long-term visual morbidity after pineal gland tumor resection is common and leads to significant functional impairment. Improvement in deficits rarely occurs spontaneously, and prisms only have limited effectiveness, probably due to the dynamic nature of supranuclear ocular movement coordination.