Medullary infarcts may cause ipsilateral masseter reflex abnormalities

Abstract

There is a suprasegmental influence on the masseter reflex (MassR) in animals, which is mediated via the fifth nerve spinal nucleus (5SpN). Corresponding data in humans are lacking. Out of 268 prospectively recruited patients with clinical signs of acute brainstem infarctions, we identified 38 with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-documented unilateral infarcts caudal to the levels of the fifth nerve motor and main sensory nuclei. All had biplanar T2- and echo planar diffusion-weighted MRI and MassR testing. Five patients (13%) had ipsilateral MassR abnormalities. In all, the infarcts involved the region of the 5SpN. Patients with medullary infarcts involving the region of the 5SpN may thus have ipsilateral MassR abnormalities. This possibly represents an interruption of an excitatory projection mediated via the 5SpN to masseter motoneurons in the fifth nerve motor nucleus. MassR abnormalities with medullary lesions restrict the topodiagnostic value of the MassR.