Nuclear, internuclear, and supranuclear ocular motor disorders

Abstract

In the brainstem, lateral and vertical eye movements are controlled by separate structures, the former mainly in the pons and the latter in the midbrain. The abducens nucleus (VI) in the pons controls all ipsilateral eye movements, i.e., ipsilateral saccades as well as the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). This nucleus contains the abduction motoneurons, but also the internuclear neurons involved in adduction, passing through the contralateral medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) before relaying in the third-nerve nucleus in the midbrain. Lesions affecting the abducens nucleus result in complete ipsilateral eye movement paralysis, and lesions damaging the MLF result in internuclear ophthalmoplegia, whereas an association of these two lesions leads to the "one-and-a-half" syndrome. Ipsilateral saccades are controlled by the ipsilateral paramedian pontine reticular formation located close to the sixth nucleus, whereas the ipsilateral VOR is controlled by the contralateral medial vestibular nucleus. Vertical eye movements are controlled by the third- and fourth-nerve nuclei in the midbrain. A lesion unilaterally affecting the third-nerve nucleus results in an ipsilateral third-nerve paralysis and a contralateral upgaze paralysis because of the decussation of the superior rectus motoneurons, at the level of the third-nerve nuclei. Vertical saccades are controlled by the rostral interstitial nucleus of the MLF (riMLF) located close to the third-nerve nucleus. Downward and upward saccade paralysis results from bilateral riMLF damage whereas upgaze paralysis usually results from a unilateral lesion affecting the region of the posterior commissure, suggesting that the suprareticular control of these two types of vertical saccade is distinct.