Lateral medullary syndrome and lateral pontine syndrome

Lateral medullary syndrome and lateral pontine syndrome mnemonic

What is lateral medullary syndrome?
Neurological symptoms due to injury to lateral part of the medulla.
Also called Wallenberg's syndrome.

When does it happen?
When the posterior inferior cerebellar artery is occluded.

What is lateral pontine syndrome?
Neurological symptoms due to injury to lateral part of the pons.

When does it happen?
When the anterior inferior cerebellar artery is occluded.

What do both the lesions have in common?

Ipsilateral horner's syndrome.
Why? Descending hypothalamic tracts affected.

Contralateral loss of pain and temperature.
Why? Lateral spinothalamic tract affected.

Ipsilateral cerebellar ataxia.
Why? Cerebellar peduncles affected.
Inferior cerebellar peduncle in medullary and middle cerebellar peduncle in pons.

Nausea, nystagmus, vertigo, vomiting.
Why? Vestibular nuclei involved.

Ipsilateral loss of pain and temperature sensation from the face (facial hemianesthesia).
Why? Spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract involved.

Ipsilateral hearing loss.
Why? Cochlear nuclei and intraxial nerve fibers involved.


So how do I tell the difference between the two?


Lateral medullary syndrome:
Dysphagia, dysarthria, dysphonia
Why? Nucleus ambiguus involved.

Lateral pontine syndrome:
Ipsilateral paralysis of the upper and lower face (lower motor neuron lesion).
Ipsilateral loss of lacrimation and reduced salivation.
Ipsilateral loss of taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.
Hyperacusis.
Why? Facial nucleus and facial nerve involved.

How do I remember this? Mnemonic! *drum roll*