Progressive motor deficits are relatively common in acute pontine infarction and frequently associated with increased functional disability. However, the factors that affect the progression of clinical motor weakness are largely unknown. Previous studies have suggested that pontine infarctions are caused mainly by basilar artery stenosis and penetrating artery disease. Recently, lower pons lesi...

Central pontine myelinolysis can occur after orthotopic liver transplantation leading to high mortality and serious morbidity. In our case, central pontine myelinolysis was associated with wide fluctuations in cyclosporine levels during an episode of hypocholesterolaemia, which may have precipitated central pontine myelinolysis.

Acetylcholine (ACh) regulates arousal and the present study was designed to provide insight into the neurochemical mechanisms modulating ACh release in the pontine reticular formation. Nitric oxide-releasing beads microinjected into the pontine reticular formation of C57BL/6J (B6) mouse caused a significant (p<0.0001) increase in ACh release. Microdialysis delivery of the nitric oxide donor NOC...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Etiology and symptomatology in pontine infarction extending to the basal surface are supposed to be different from those in deep pontine infarction of the lacunar type. The aim of this study was to compare the infarct size and location, vascular lesions, risk factors, and neurological deficits in three different types of acute pontine infarction. METHODS We studied isol...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Conventional MR imaging permits subcategorization of brain stem tumors by location and focality; however, assessment of white matter tract involvement by tumor is limited. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a promising method for visualizing white matter tract tumor involvement supratentorially. We investigated the ability of DTI to visualize and quantify white matter trac...

The molecular cues that regulate neurite morphology within the target environment are key to the formation of complex neural circuitry. During development of the ponto-cerebellar projection, pontine fibers sprout and form elaborate arbors within the inner cerebellar layer prior to arrival of their target cells, the cerebellar granule neurons. Here, we describe the biochemical fractionation of t...

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is a lethal brain cancer that arises in the pons of children. The median survival for children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is less than 1 year from diagnosis, and no improvement in survival has been realized in more than 30 years. Currently, the standard of care for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is focal radiation therapy, which provides only tempor...

The factors related to death and functional recovery after primary pontine hemorrhage (PPH) in Koreans has not been well defined. The authors sought to identify independent predictors of death and functional recovery after PPH using data obtained at a single institute. Data were collected retrospectively on 281 patients with PPH admitted to the Stroke Unit at our hospital between January 1, 200...

OBJECTIVE To describe a case of deliberate termination of life (euthanasia) in intensive care. DESIGN Case report and review of the literature. PATIENT A 56-yr-old man experienced a bilateral hemorrhage in the pontine structures and the medulla oblongata, resulting in a locked-in syndrome. The patient was taught to communicate by eye opening. On day 10 after the hemorrhage, he was informed ...

Because of the nature and location of the lesion in central pontine myelinolysis, considerable difficulties in diagnosis may arise. Computed tomography (CT) and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials are useful in following the spread and regression of the pontine lesion. The correlation between clinical evolution, serial CT scans, and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials is considered in a patie...