hemifacial spasm, functional magnetic resonance

The objective of this case study was to describe the clinical and electroencephalography (EEG)/functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of a case of isolated hemifacial spasm due to epilepsia partialis continua in a 59-year-old man with abnormal hemifacial movements that disappeared during voluntary tasks, were absent during sleep, and responded to carbamazepine. His neurological examination was normal; EEG revealed right inferior frontal epileptiform discharges. EEG/fMRI demonstrated increased blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast in the right inferior and middle frontal gyri corresponding to the contralateral motor and premotor cortex responsible for facial movements (BA 44, 45, 45, 9), with widespread BOLD signal deactivations suggestive of epileptic network involvement despite a very focal epileptogenic process...

The level of success of neurovascular decompression in ponto-cerebellar angle for hemifacial spasm and trigeminal neuralgia has already established the reality of the pathology to explain such symptoms. However, cochlear nerve compression syndrome by vascular loop is still a controversial topic. We have performed a retrospective cases review with long-term follow-up (5-7 years) concerning the results of microvascular decompression surgery of the cochlear nerve via an endoscopy assisted retrosigmoid approach on 15 patients suffering from unilateral incapacitating tinnitus with abnormal auditory brainstem response and an offending vessel on magnetic resonance imaging...

Bilateral hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a rare movement disorder posing diagnostic doubt with other facial dyskinesias. In this report, we describe clinical, radiological and therapeutic features of 10 patients with bilateral HFS. The prevalence of bilateral HFS in our sample was of 2.6%. Clinical characteristics of our patients did not differ from the classic features of unilateral cases. The mean latency for contralateral facial nerve involvement was of 33.3 months. In only one case a vascular abnormality was seen...

The aim of the study was to clarify the relationship between neurovascular compression of the rostral ventrolateral medulla and arterial hypertension in patients with primary hemifacial spasm. We enrolled 82 patients with primary hemifacial spasm and 82 age- and sex-matched magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) controls of the posterior cranial fossa. Neurovascular compression of the rostral ventrolateral medulla was assessed by MRI, and its association with arterial hypertension was investigated. No significant differences were found in prevalence of arterial hypertension between patients with primary hemifacial spasm and control subjects (39...

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of temporal lobe epilepsy with clinical presentation of paroxysmal episodes of "tightness" over the right hemiface, and ictal crying, and review electroclinical localisation of this phenomenon. METHODS: Clinical semiology, neurophysiological localising tests, and epilepsy surgery outcome are reported in a subject presenting with paroxysmal right hemifacial movements and ictal crying. Pertinent past reports of somato-motor signs and ictal crying in temporal lobe epilepsy are reviewed and the findings correlated with proposed human facial cortical representation...

The authors describe an acute facial and acoustic neuropathy following gamma knife surgery (GKS) for vestibular schwannoma (VS). This 39-year-old woman presenting with tinnitus underwent GKS for a small right-sided intracanalicular VS, receiving a maximal dose of 26 Gy and a tumor margin dose of 13 Gy to the 50% isodose line. Thirty-six hours following treatment she presented with nausea, vomiting, vertigo, diminished hearing, and a House-Brackmann Grade III facial palsy. She was started on intravenous glucocorticosteroid agents, and over the course of 2 weeks her facial function returned to House-Brackmann Grade I...

INTRODUCTION: Bilateral hemifacial spasm (HFS) is rare. Clinico-radiologic correlates utilizing advanced imaging techniques have not been systematically examined in bilateral HFS. The prevalence of bilateral HFS in an Asian population has not been clarified. OBJECTIVES: We examined the prevalence and clinico-radiologic correlates of bilateral HFS in a clinic-based cohort and compared the clinical characteristics of unilateral HFS patients with and without contralateral neurovascular contact (NVC) in HFS...

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Neurovascular compression syndromes are currently examined with 2-dimensional representations of tomographic volumes. To overcome this drawback, coarse segmentation followed by direct volume rendering of magnetic resonance (MR) data is introduced supporting a detailed 3-dimensional analysis of the related structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This approach is based on MR-CISS (constructive interference in steady state) volumes providing the required high resolution to achieve an improved spatial understanding...

Seven patients with schwannomas of the jugular foramen were included our study in Samsung Medical Center between 1995 and 1999. Patients with neurofibromatosis were excluded. The records of the seven patients (six surgical case and one nonsurgical case) were retrospectively reviewed. There were six women and one man (mean age, 47 years) with a symptom duration ranging from 3 months to 14 years (mean, 47 months). The predominant symptoms were hearing difficulty, hemifacial spasm and hoarseness. Preoperative audiologic evaluation, computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and angiography were performed in most patients...

A 54-year-old female and a 49-year-old female presented with complaints of hemifacial spasm. Both patients underwent surgery to remove cerebellopontine angle meningiomas. In one case, no vascular compression was observed at the root exit zone. The tumor was removed subtotally leaving residual tumor adhered to the lower cranial nerves. The hemifacial spasm disappeared immediately after the operation. The residual tumor was treated using gamma knife radiosurgery. In the other case, the root exit zone of the facial nerve was compressed by both the tumor and anterior inferior cerebellar artery and the tumor was removed totally...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the evolution of cochleovestibular symptoms before, during, and after microvascular decompression (MVD) of the facial nerve in hemifacial spasm. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study in patients with hemifacial spasm. Among our 13 patients who underwent MVD of the facial nerve from 1995 to 1997, 6 had associated cochleovestibular disorders confirmed by neurotologic tests. RESULTS: In four of these patients, a concomitant compression of the eighth and facial nerves was found at surgery...

Twelve patients underwent microvascular decompression by retrosigmoid approach to relieve severe hemifacial spasm. The surgery was done under intraoperative monitoring of the auditory function. Assessment at Day 2, Day 10, 2 months and 6 months after the operation found that the surgery had resulted in 9 recoveries, 3 improvements and 1 failure. Brain stem auditory evoked potentials monitoring showed that the interposition of Teflon between the vascular loop and the facial nerve is a critical stage for the auditory function...

BACKGROUND: Intracranial epidermoid cysts are slow-growing congenital neoplasms that usually spread and adhere to critical neurovascular structures along the basal cistern, particularly the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) and parasellar region. Clinical symptoms include trigeminal neuralgia, headache and dizziness, progressive hemiparesis, unstable gait and hemifacial spasm. With the aid of modern imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an effective microsurgical approach can be planned preoperatively to completely remove tumors and avoid complications...

A case of prolonged, slowly progressive, idiopathic hemifacial spasm in a 68-year-old man is presented. A suspected cerebellopontine angle lesion was confirmed by MRI and digital angiography. Cerebellopontine angle lesions have to be differentiated from idiopathic hemifacial spasm.

Hemifacial spasm (HFS), a condition characterized by involuntary unilateral facial spasms, is a disabling disorder resulting in functional compromise, patient frustration, cosmetic deformity, and social embarrassment. Compression of the seventh nerve at the root entry zone via vascular loop is presently the most widely accepted causative theory. Although less common, there are other entities that can result in HFS. Basic evaluation, including a thorough history, physical examination, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, is important to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes...

Twenty-three consecutive patients with hemifacial spasm were studied. Magnetic resonance imaging angiography of the brain was performed in 20 patients and 15 controls. The angiograms were evaluated by two independent observers and blinded for side-location of the spasm. Contact between an artery from the vertebrobasilar circulation and the intracranial part of the facial nerve was observed ipsilaterally to the spasm in 17 patients (85%) and in two of 30 control half-brains (7%), respectively. Treatment is discussed...

We investigated a 6-month-old infant with daily episodes of left hemifacial contraction, head and eye deviation to the right, nystagmoid jerks to the right, autonomic dysfunction, and retained consciousness. The episodes began on day 1 of life and were unresponsive to antiepileptic medication. Interictal and ictal scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were unremarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass in the left cerebellar hemisphere and peduncle. Ictal single-photon emission computed tomography revealed focal hyperperfusion in the region of the cerebellar mass...

Hemifacial spasm is related to vascular compression of the root entry zone of the facial nerve at the brainstem by elongated tortuous vessels of the vertebrobasilar arterial system. In this study, we performed MR imaging in 16 patients with hemifacial spasm and investigated the vascular structures in bilateral-cerebellopontine angles and the relationship of each vessel to the root entry zone of the facial nerve. MR examination was performed with a 0.5 tesla MRI system, and MR angiography (3D time-of-flight) was obtained...

Two brothers developed hemifacial spasm at 63 and 70 years of age. Spasms occurred on the left and right sides of the face, respectively. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging failed to show any abnormality. In addition, a third sibling reported a history of a peripheral facial palsy, which remitted spontaneously without sequelae. This is the fourth description of familial hemifacial spasms. This family is unique in that hemifacial spasm presented on different sides in the two brothers, and involvement was limited to one generation...

Hemifacial spasm in a 10-year-old child is herein reported. Computed tomography and angiography were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an anomalous vascular structure, probably a redundant loop arising from AICA or PICA, which was identified at surgery. The spasm, presumably due to vascular compression at the root entry zone of the right facial nerve, promptly and completely remitted after surgical decompression, without functional deficits. Atypical clinical features, as well as pre- and postoperative neurophysiological findings supporting the microvascular compression theory, are discussed...