Really like FrontalCortex? Let us know.

Wallenberg Syndrome 1

Topic: Behavior

Created on Sunday, September 17 2006 by jdmiles

Last modified on Sunday, November 16 2008.

A famous elderly, retired model presents to the E.R. She had no neurologic defecits prior to this morning, when she awoke to several new symptoms, the most concerning to her of which are changes in the way her face looks, as shown in the image above.
She has smoked 2 packs of cigarettes per day for the past 39 years. She is overweight, has sleep apnea, and a recent LDL cholesterol level was 309 mg/dL. She has diabetes mellitus, and a recent hemoglobin A1C was 9. She has a history of poorly controlled hypertension. She is noncompliant with the medications prescribed to her for these conditions.
History and physical exam reveal new onset of decreased motion of the vocal cord on the left, nausea and vomiting, an illusion of titling of vision, diminished gag reflex, dysphagia, anhidrosis in the left face, hoarseness, vertical diplopia, loss of pain and temperature sensation in the right side of the body, loss of pain and temperature sensation in the left face, lateropulsion to the left, decreased elevation of the palate on the left, loss of gustation, and ataxia on the left.
Of the following choices, which ONE other finding would you MOST expect to see in this patient?

A) Papilledema

B) Nystagmus

C) Dyslexia

D) Aphasia

E) Brain death

	= Go back to the top of the page.
	= Reload a different version of this question ().
	= Load a random question from the database.
	= Use this question as a template to create a totally NEW question.
	= Enter detailed rating for this question!
	= How users like you have rated this question.

This question was created on September 17, 2006 by jdmiles.
This question was last modified on November 16, 2008.

ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS

A) papilledema

This answer is incorrect.

Papilledema is not a component of the lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome, and would not be expected from a lesion of the lateral medulla. (See References)


Please log in if you want to rate questions.

B) nystagmus

This answer is correct.

This patient presents with history and physical findings consistent with a stroke in the lateral medulla (Wallenberg syndrome). Her findings are consistent with infarction on the left side of the medulla. A stroke in this location will cause damage to the vestibular nuclei, spinothalamic tract, descending sympathetic fibers, descending fibers of cranial nerves IX and X, and cerebellar tracts including the inferior cerebellar peduncle.
Damage to these structures produces a predictable constellation of symptoms, including nystagmus, vertigo, oscillopsia, nausea and vomiting, loss of pain and temperature in the contralateral half of the body, loss of pain and temperature sensation in the ipsilateral face, an ipsilateral Horner's syndrome (as shown in the image), hoarseness and dysphagia, ataxia, and ipsilateral lateropulsion.
You could expect to see nystagmus in this patient. (See References)


Please log in if you want to rate questions.

C) dyslexia

This answer is incorrect.

Dyslexia is not a component of the lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome, and would not be expected from a lesion of the lateral medulla. (See References)


Please log in if you want to rate questions.

D) aphasia

This answer is incorrect.

Aphasia is not a component of the lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome, and would not be expected from a lesion of the lateral medulla. (See References)


Please log in if you want to rate questions.

E) brain death

This answer is incorrect.

Brain death is not a component of the lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome, and would not be expected from a lesion of the lateral medulla. (See References)


Please log in if you want to rate questions.

References:

1. Zaidat, O.O., and Lerner, A.J. (2002). The Little Black Book of Neurology, 4th Edition. Mosby, St. Louis. (ISBN:0323014151)	Advertising:
2. Victor, M., and Ropper, A.H. (2001). Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 7th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York. (ISBN:0070674973)	Advertising:


Please log in if you want to rate questions.

FrontalCortex.com -- Neurology Review Questions -- Neurology Boards -- Board Review -- Residency Inservice Training Exam -- RITE Exam Review
behavior
Wallenberg Syndrome 1
Question ID: 69171
Question written by J. Douglas Miles, (C) 2006-2009, all rights reserved.
Created: 09/17/2006
Modified: 11/16/2008
Estimated Permutations: 0

User Comments About This Question:

0 user entries

Please log in if you'd like to add a comment.