Brainstem Damage: Causes & Reasons

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Possible Causes for Brainstem Damage

Locked-in Syndrome

Autopsy examination revealed close correspondence between permanent brainstem damage and persistent BAEP abnormalities. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Locked-in syndrome is a condition that can occur as a result of a stroke involving the brainstem; the stroke damages the ventral brainstem, corresponding to the pyramidal [radiopaedia.org]

Abnormality of BAEPs (first recorded 10 days after infarction) indicated that brainstem damage extended beyond the basis pontis, where, typically, interruption of corticospinal [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Central Pontine Myelinolysis

damage. [cjhr.org]

The damage to your myelin sheaths can cause damage to the brainstem nerves. Nerve damage interferes with the communication between the nervous system and muscles. [healthline.com]

[…] to the myelin sheath of nerve cells in the pons (an area of the brainstem ). [en.wikipedia.org]

ATP5A1-Related ATP Synthase Deficiency

Babinski-Nageotte Syndrome

Babinski–Nageotte syndrome, sometimes called Babinski syndrome, is an alternating brainstem syndrome. [alchetron.com]

Babinski-Nageotte syndrome, sometimes called Babinski syndrome, is an alternating brainstem syndrome. [morebooks.de]

It occurs when there is damage to the dorsolateral or posterior lateral medulla oblongata. Hence it is also called the alternating medulla oblongata syndrome. [alchetron.com]

Brain Stem Infarction

A retrospective study of patients who suffered cerebrovascular accidents (CVA particularly brainstem damage) was conducted to look for risk factors which, present on admission [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

This type of stroke can result in death, since the damaged brainstem can no longer control the body’s vital functions. [strokeeducation.info]

Secondly, microstructural damage of neural networks within the brainstem could be the neuroanatomical correlate of CSA-CSR. [journals.plos.org]

Pyramidal Tract Lesion

They decussate, or cross, in the brainstem; therefore, damage to the right cerebral hemisphere results in paralysis of the left side of the body.… Read More In paralysis: [britannica.com]

Damage to upper motor neurons causes two kinds of effects. The predominant effect initially is a loss of motor function. [courses.washington.edu]

Firstly, when the pyramidal tracts are bilaterally damaged in the cerebral hemispheres or brainstem the syndrome of double (or bilateral) hemiplegia ensues. [jneurology.com]

Apallic Syndrome

At first it can be a diffusion damage of whole brain. But some parts of the brain can be repaired - it is a case of brainstem. Why? [wikilectures.eu]

[…] brain are disconnected from brainstem. [wikilectures.eu]

In fact it is just a sign of intact brainstem and cranial nerves. [wikilectures.eu]

Complete Locked-in Syndrome

Locked-in syndrome is a condition that can occur as a result of a stroke involving the brainstem; the stroke damages the ventral brainstem, corresponding to the pyramidal [radiopaedia.org]

Locked-in syndrome is caused when there is damage to specific parts of the lower brain and brainstem but no damage to the upper brain. [thesun.co.uk]

This can result from a stroke or other brain damage in which the thinking part of the brain is intact and functioning – the patient is awake – but the brainstem is damaged [sciencebasedmedicine.org]

Nothnagel Syndrome

At the level of the midbrain in the brainstem, damage to the oculomotor fascicles causes incomplete paralysis due to the anatomic separation between the fasciles. 4 Fascicular [reviewofoptometry.com]

Vascular infarct, metastatic disease and demyelinization are the common causes of brainstem involvement. 3. [neuroradiologycases.com]

[…] and the lower portions are spared, locked-in syndrome is caused by damage to specific portions of the lower brain and brainstem, with no damage to the upper brain. [en.wikipedia.org]

Kernicterus

In some cases, brainstem damage can induce life-threatening apnea due to diminished responses of the respiratory center to CO2 concentrations. [symptoma.com]

There is damage to the cochlear nuclei in the brainstem that results in hearing loss, and there is usually a limitation of upward gaze. [ezinearticles.com]

Bernheim Syndrome

Causes Locked-in syndrome is most often caused by damage to a specific part of the brainstem known as the pons. [rarediseases.org]

[…] of the brainstem. [rarediseases.org]

Locked-in syndrome is caused by damaged to the pons, a part of the brainstem that contains nerve fibers that relay information to other areas of the brain. [rarediseases.org]

Parinaud Syndrome

trauma and brainstem toxoplasmosis infection. [medigoo.com]

On the other hand, two patients with probable brainstem encephalitis exhibited marked slowing of vertical saccades, indicating that the burst neurons, or their efferent pathways [neurology.org]

Lateral Medullary Syndrome

All patients had skew deviation with hypotropia on the side of brainstem damage. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Depending on how severe the damage to the brainstem is, some people may feel relief from symptoms within weeks or months. [everydayhealth.com]

A successful recovery depends on where the stroke happened in the brainstem. It also depends on how much damage occurred. [healthline.com]

Pyramidal Tract Disorder

Damage to upper motor neurons causes two kinds of effects. The predominant effect initially is a loss of motor function. [courses.washington.edu]

Higher-level sites Brainstem Damage to the brainstem threatens life, since so many of the control centres for many functions, including consciousness, respiration, and blood [britannica.com]

[…] greater extensor tone than that which occurs after damage to higher regions. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Trochlear Nerve Paralysis

This lesion suggests that there must be damage to the contralateral brainstem; i.e. in the crude diagram above there must be a right midbrain lesion. [derangedphysiology.com]

The trochlear nucleus and its axons within the brainstem can be damaged by infarctions, hemorrhage, arteriovenous malformations, tumors and demyelination. [en.wikipedia.org]

Damage to the descending sympathetic fibers from the hyperthalamus in the dorsal brainstem, causes a Horner's syndrome, and lesions of the trochlear nucleus or fascicle may [collections.lib.utah.edu]

Brain Stem Disorder

Causes Locked-in syndrome is most often caused by damage to a specific part of the brainstem known as the pons. [rarediseases.org]

Children with infantile autism or autistic condition had significantly longer brainstem transmission time than normal children suggesting neurological damage as the basis [eric.ed.gov]

Higher-level sites Brainstem Damage to the brainstem threatens life, since so many of the control centres for many functions, including consciousness, respiration, and blood [britannica.com]

Brain Stem Herniation

Disturbances in motor function are often indicative of widespread cortical or brainstem damage. [brainmind.com]

The brain tissue that is being squeezed through the opening and the brainstem tissue can be permanently damaged. [medicineonline.com]

Increase in pressure results in progressive damage to brain tissue that may include life-threatening damage to the brainstem. [mountsinai.org]

Siderosis

Schwann cells are also frequently damaged, contributing to demyelination. [5] Iron deposition is most prevalent in the inferior temporal lobes, the brainstem, the cerebellum [en.wikipedia.org]

Damage occurs commonly in the brainstem, cerebellum, ventricles, and vestibulocochlear system due to the richness of glial cells in this area ( 5, 6 ). [frontiersin.org]

Iron deposition is also present in cranial nerves I & II, but this damage less frequently presents symptoms when compared to cranial nerve VIII, [3] which can be explained [en.wikipedia.org]

Nasopharyngeal Neoplasm

A case is reported of a diabetic patient with a nasopharyngeal neoplasm who developed radiation induced brainstem damage even though irradiated at a conventional time-dose-volume [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

The clinical course was correlated with autopsy findings which revealed radiation changes in the brainstem consisting primarily of vascular hyalinization with foci of infarction [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Brain Stem Hemorrhage

CT also brought awareness of "benign variants" of brainstem hemorrhages ( Shuaib 1991 ). [medlink.com]

Other possible causes include irregularities in blood clotting, damage to blood vessel walls by various processes (including ischemic stroke). [dizziness-and-balance.com]

Cerebellar Hemorrhage

Brainstem damage by compression from an expanding mass in the posterior fossa is a common and feared complication. [emedicine.medscape.com]

[…] to the brainstem Patient’s status can quickly deteriorate to coma as pressure builds Cerebellar stroke due to hemorrhage considered medical emergency Can occur in any age [accessphysiotherapy.mhmedical.com]

Generally speaking, the more lateral the hemorrhage and the smaller the hematoma, the more likely the brainstem structures are spared and the better the prognosis. [emedicine.medscape.com]

Brain Compression

Rapidly turning a patient’s head to one side while they attempt to stare at a fixed point can suggest lower brainstem damage if the eyes cannot maintain their fixation point [brainconnection.brainhq.com]

Higher-level sites Brainstem Damage to the brainstem threatens life, since so many of the control centres for many functions, including consciousness, respiration, and blood [britannica.com]

In either case there may be permanent damage. brain dead irreversible coma with apnea, loss of all brainstem reflexes and absence of activity on an electroencephalogram. brain [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Etiologically, primary (idiopathic RBD) and several secondary forms in addition to neurodegeneration (related to focal brainstem damage, narcolepsy, autoimmune disorders, [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Patients with brainstem damage that still dreamt and patients with damage in the frontal lobes and parietal lobes, but working brainstems, who no longer dreamt. [learntointerpretyourdreams.com]

There is evidence that brainstem areas of the brain are involved in regulating REM sleep and that damage to these areas may result in RBD-like symptoms. [sleepio.com]

Central Sleep Apnea

It may also be associated to neurological disorders like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS and Lou Gehrig’s disease, encephalitis-induced brainstem damage, stroke, trauma, and [cliniqueronflement.com]

Secondly, microstructural damage of neural networks within the brainstem could be the neuroanatomical correlate of CSA-CSR. [journals.plos.org]

Some of the most common causes are listed below: Damage to the cervical spine or brainstem This is one of the most common causes, although the damage itself can be caused [quit-yer-snoring.com]

Bulbar Poliomyelitis

This attack on the brainstem by the poliovirus results in extensive damage to the motor neurons of the brainstem which control the respiratory system of the body as a result [epainassist.com]

[…] swallowing and talking are damaged. [britannica.com]

Since polio damage has been seen in the brain and in the brainstem, this is an area that needs further study. [skally.net]

Central Fever

Benign Abducens Nerve Palsy

Elevated intracranial pressure can produce downward displacement of the brainstem, causing damage to the sixth nerves by pressure or traction of the nerves where they are [reviewofophthalmology.com]

Higher-level sites Brainstem Damage to the brainstem threatens life, since so many of the control centres for many functions, including consciousness, respiration, and blood [britannica.com]

With MRI, one can find cases of fascicular damage causing isolated VI nerve palsy, either bilateral or unilateral (4-6), (7). [neuroophthalmology.ca]

Brain Laceration

damage l wear seatbelts; use infant seats l avoid motorcycles; wear helmits l don’t drink excessively (& don’t drive) l beware of hazardous falls; use ladders appropriately [uni.edu]

[…] brain damage and possibly death brief LOC, visual changes, HA, memory deficit, amnesia, fatigue, sleep, depression, irritability, changes in balance bruising of the brain [quizlet.com]

Extrapulmonary Alveolar Hypoventilation

29 ] Cachexia ↓ Albumin Nutrition Diarrhea ↓ Cholesterol Metabolic alkalosis [ 30 ] Lethargy Arterial blood gases See Chapter 71 Confusion Serum electrolytes Structural brainstem [aneskey.com]

damage [ 27, 31, 32 ] Localizing neurologic findings Neoplasm Headache CT, MRI, cerebrospinal fluid cytology Radiation, chemotherapy Infection Headache, fever CT, MRI Antimicrobial [aneskey.com]

Occipital Lobe Tumor

Damage to the brainstem can therefore affect a number of bodily functions. [emedicinehealth.com]

Patients who have posterior fossa operations must be monitored closely post-operatively, as brainstem nuclei may be damaged during surgery. [openanesthesia.org]

Radiation therapy to the brainstem in children does not damage these structures. [childhoodbraintumor.org]