We describe two cases of hemifacial spasm (HFS) with unusual synkinetic movements between facial muscles and respiratory activity. Patient 1 developed an idiopathic HFS. She underwent microvascular decompression surgery, followed by transitory facial nerve palsy; she recovered but later developed a facial synkinesia characterized by involuntary and forced eyelid closure on spontaneous and deep breathing; the orbicularis oculi muscle was active also when her mouth was open (the so-called Marin-Amat syndrome). Patient 2, 1 year after a peripheral facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy), developed an HFS together with synkinetic movements between the orbicularis oculi muscle and respiration. In both cases electrophysiological studies showed pathological synkinetic electromyographic activity. An enhanced hyperexcitability of brain stem interneurons and facial motoneurons could be suggested to explain the phenomenon.

Unusual synkinetic movements between facial muscles and respiration in hemi¬facial spasm / Pavesi, Giovanni; Medici, D.; Macaluso, Guido Maria; Ventura, P.; Allegri, I.; Gemignani, Franco. - In: MOVEMENT DISORDERS. - ISSN 0885-3185. - 9:(1994), pp. 451-454.

Unusual synkinetic movements between facial muscles and respiration in hemi¬facial spasm.

PAVESI, Giovanni;MACALUSO, Guido Maria;GEMIGNANI, Franco
1994-01-01

Abstract

We describe two cases of hemifacial spasm (HFS) with unusual synkinetic movements between facial muscles and respiratory activity. Patient 1 developed an idiopathic HFS. She underwent microvascular decompression surgery, followed by transitory facial nerve palsy; she recovered but later developed a facial synkinesia characterized by involuntary and forced eyelid closure on spontaneous and deep breathing; the orbicularis oculi muscle was active also when her mouth was open (the so-called Marin-Amat syndrome). Patient 2, 1 year after a peripheral facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy), developed an HFS together with synkinetic movements between the orbicularis oculi muscle and respiration. In both cases electrophysiological studies showed pathological synkinetic electromyographic activity. An enhanced hyperexcitability of brain stem interneurons and facial motoneurons could be suggested to explain the phenomenon.
1994
Unusual synkinetic movements between facial muscles and respiration in hemi¬facial spasm / Pavesi, Giovanni; Medici, D.; Macaluso, Guido Maria; Ventura, P.; Allegri, I.; Gemignani, Franco. - In: MOVEMENT DISORDERS. - ISSN 0885-3185. - 9:(1994), pp. 451-454.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/2434186
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact