Claude's syndrome


Claude's syndrome is a form of brainstem stroke syndrome characterized by the presence of an ipsilateral oculomotor nerve palsy, contralateral hemiparesis, contralateral ataxia, and contralateral hemiplegia of the lower face, tongue, and shoulder.
Claude's syndrome affects oculomotor nerve, red nucleus and brachium conjunctivum.

Cause

Claude's syndrome is caused by midbrain infarction as a result of occlusion of a branch of the posterior cerebral artery. This lesion is usually a unilateral infarction of the red nucleus and cerebral peduncle, affecting several structures in the midbrain including:
Structure damagedEffect
dentatorubral tract fiberscontralateral ataxia
corticospinal tract fiberscontralateral hemiparesis
corticobulbar tract fiberscontralateral hemiplegia of lower facial muscles, tongue, and shoulder
oculomotor nerve fibersipsilateral oculomotor nerve palsy with a drooping eyelid and fixed wide pupil pointed down and out; probable diplopia

It is very similar to Benedikt's syndrome.

Other causes

It has been reported that posterior cerebral artery stenosis can also precipitate Claude's syndrome.

Diagnosis

History

It carries the name of Henri Charles Jules Claude, a French psychiatrist and neurologist, who described the condition in 1912.