Saccadic lateropulsion in Wallenberg syndrome: a window to access cerebellar control of saccades?

Full Abstract

Saccadic lateropulsion is characterized by an undershoot of contralaterally directed saccades, an overshoot of ipsilaterally directed saccades and an ipsilateral deviation of vertical saccades. In Wallenberg syndrome, it is thought to result from altered signals in the olivo-cerebellar pathway to the oculomotor cerebellar network. In the current study we aimed to determine whether saccadic lateropulsion results from a cerebellar impairment of motor related signals or visuo-spatial related signals. We studied the trajectory, the accuracy, the direction and the amplitude of a variety of vertical and oblique saccades produced by five patients and nine control subjects. Some results are consistent with previous data suggesting altered motor related signals. Indeed, the horizontal error of contralesional saccades in patients increased with the desired horizontal saccade size. Furthermore, the initial directional error measured during the saccadic acceleration phase was smaller than the global directional error, suggesting that the eye trajectory curved progressively. However, some other results suggest that the processes that specify the horizontal spatial goal of the saccades might be impaired in the patients. Indeed, the horizontal error of ipsilesional saccades in patients did not change significantly with the desired horizontal saccade size. In addition, when comparing saccades with similar intended direction, it was found that the directional error was inversely related to the vertical saccade amplitude. Thus we conclude that the cerebellum might be involved both in controlling the motor execution of saccades and in determining the visuo-spatial information about their goal.

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Author information

Author/s: Tilikete, Caroline (C); Koene, Ansgar (A); Nighoghossian, Norbert (N); Vighetto, Alain (A); Pélisson, Denis (D);

Affiliation: Neuro-Ophthalmology Department, Université Claude Bernard Lyon-I, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 59 Bd Pinel, 69 677 Bron Cedex, France. tilikete(-atsign-)lyon.inserm.fr

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Experimental brain research. Experimentelle Hirnforschung. Expérimentation cérébrale (Exp Brain Res), published in Germany. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Oct; vol 174 (issue 3) : pp 555-65

Dates: Created 2006/10/18; Completed 2006/11/28; Revised 2008/02/15;

PMID: 16680426, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged
Analysis of Variance
Cerebellum - physiopathology
Eye Movements - physiology
Female
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans

Lateral Medullary Syndrome - physiopathology
Male
Middle Aged
Photic Stimulation - methods
Rotation
Visual Fields - physiology
Visual Perception - physiology

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