What is the upper dorsal pontine syndrome?
The upper dorsal pontine syndrome is caused by obstruction of the long circumferential branches of the basilar artery and results in:
- Ipsilateral ataxia and coarse intention tremor (damage to the superior and middle cerebellar peduncles)
- Ipsilateral paralysis of muscles of mastication and sensory loss in face (damage to sensory and motor nuclei and tracts of V)
- Contralateral loss of all sensory modalities in the body (damage to medial lemniscus and spinothalamic tract)
- Contralateral hemiparesis of the face and body (damage to corticospinal tract) may occur with ventral extension of the lesion
- Horizontal gaze palsy may occur, as in the lower dorsal pontine syndrome
