Apneustic breathing provoked by limbic influences

We describe a 64-year-old man with cerebrovascular disease who had an acute stroke characterised by pseudobulbar palsy, facial weakness, and pyramidal signs. He developed frequent emotional outbursts followed by periods of apneusis. Between these episodes he breathed with a regular and unvarying rat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Postgraduate medical journal 1996-09, Vol.72 (851), p.559-561
Main Authors: Stewart, J., Howard, R. S., Rudd, A. G., Woolf, C., Russell, R. W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute Disease
Biological and medical sciences
Cerebrovascular Disorders - complications
Crying
Fatal Outcome
Humans
Limbic System
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurology
Recurrence
Respiration Disorders - etiology
Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system
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Summary:We describe a 64-year-old man with cerebrovascular disease who had an acute stroke characterised by pseudobulbar palsy, facial weakness, and pyramidal signs. He developed frequent emotional outbursts followed by periods of apneusis. Between these episodes he breathed with a regular and unvarying rate and tidal volume. Autopsy showed extensive cortical, subcortical and pontine infarction. The respiratory pattern indicated a dissociation between voluntary and automatic pathways. The descending limbic pathways were preserved but an abnormal pattern of automatic breathing (ie, apneusis) occurred because of the presence of bilateral pontine infarction.
ISSN:0032-5473
1469-0756
DOI:10.1136/pgmj.72.851.559