Rehabilitation for Brainstem Lesion: Non-Motor Symptoms

Se Hee Jung

doi:10.12786/bn.2014.7.2.105

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Jung: Rehabilitation for Brainstem Lesion: Non-Motor Symptoms

Review

Brain & Neurorehabilitation 2014; 7(2): 105-110.

Published online: 29 September 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2014.7.2.105

Rehabilitation for Brainstem Lesion: Non-Motor Symptoms

Se Hee Jung, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.

Correspondence to: Se Hee Jung, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, 20, Boramae-ro 5-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 156-707, Korea. Tel: 02-870-2672, Fax: 02-831-2826, ideale1@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

The brainstem is a compact, stalklike structure. It carries nearly all information between the brain and the remainder of body. It is a corridor to all major sensory, motor, cerebellar, cranial nerve pathways but it is not simply a conduit for information. It has numerous nuclei of the cranial nerves. Therefore, when a patient has a lesion in the brainstem, he or she will demonstrate a variety of symptoms regarding level of consciousness, motor control, muscle tone, posture, vegetative function and other essential function. Here, we will discuss about the non-motor symptoms caused by the brainstem lesions and the strategy for the rehabilitation.

Keywords: balance, brainstem, consciousness, sensory function, swallowing

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

The maximum lesion overlap was in the center of pontine tegmentum for brainstem coma subjects with fatal hyperthermia.

Fig. 2

Overlay lesion plots of the poststroke patients as concerned with affective depression (A) and apathetic depression (B).

Fig. 3

The central pattent generator of swallowing.

Fig. 4

The cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathway.

Fig. 5

The anatomical structures correlated of balance problem in the dorsolateral medulla oblongata syndrome.

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