LATERAL MEDULLARY SYNDROME V/S LATERAL PONTINE SYNDROME

MNEMONICS to differentiate them

LATERAL MEDULLARY SYNDROME: Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery (PICA) Syndrome

Dysphagia is differentiating syndrome

Now remember the famous Pokémon character PIKACHU—PICACHU—PICA can’t chew—Dysphagia

LATERAL PONTINE SYNDROME: Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Syndrome (AICA)

The differentiating factor is fACIAl involvement, read the letter in facial from backward

What is lateral medullary syndrome?

Neurological syndrome due to injury to lateral part of medulla. (WALLENBERG’S SYNDROME)

When does it happen?

When posterior inferior cerebellar artery is occluded.

 What is lateral pontine syndrome?

Neurological symptoms due to injure to lateral part of pons.

When does it happen?

When anterior inferior cerebellar artery is occluded.

What do both lesions have in common?

Ipsilateral horner’s syndrome, why? Descending hypothalamic tracts affected.

Contralateral loss of pain and temp. Why? Lateral  

  spinothalamic tract affected.

Ipsilateral cerebral ataxia, why? Cerebellar peduncles affected.

Nausea, vertigo, vomiting, why? Vestibular nuclie involved.

Ipsilateral loss of pain and temp. Sensation from face, why? Spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract involved.

ipsilateral hearing loss, why? cochlear nuclie and intraxialnerve fibres involved.

How both differ?

              Lateral medullary syndrome: dysphagia, dysarthria,dysphonia, why? Nucleus ambiguous involved.

Lateral pontine syndrome: ipsilateral paralysis of upper and lower phase, ipsilateral loss of lacrimation and taste and reduced salivation, why? Facial nucleus and nerve involved.