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Supranuclear ophthalmoplegia
Progressive supranuclear palsy - supranuclear ophthalmoplegia; Encephalitis - supranuclear ophthalmoplegia; Olivopontocerebellar atrophy - supranuclear ophthalmoplegia; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - supranuclear ophthalmoplegia; Whipple disease - supranuclear ophthalmoplegia; Dementia - supranuclear ophthalmoplegia
Supranuclear ophthalmoplegia is a condition that affects the movement of the eyes.
Causes
This disorder occurs because the brain is sending and receiving faulty information through the nerves that control eye movement. The nerves themselves are healthy.
People who have this problem often have progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). This is a disorder that affects the way the brain controls movement.
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a movement disorder that occurs from damage to certain nerve cells in the brain.
Other disorders that have been associated with this condition include:
-
Inflammation of the brain (
encephalitis
)
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the brain, most often due to infections.
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Disease that causes areas deep in the brain, just above the spinal cord, to shrink (
olivopontocerebellar atrophy
)
Olivopontocerebellar atrophy
Olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) is a disease that causes areas deep in the brain, just above the spinal cord, to shrink (atrophy).
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Disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement (
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain, brain stem and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movemen...
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Malabsorption disorder of the small intestine (
Whipple disease
)
Whipple disease
Whipple disease is a rare condition that prevents the small intestines from allowing nutrients to pass into the rest of the body. This is called mal...
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Symptoms
People with supranuclear ophthalmoplegia are unable to move their eyes at will in all directions, especially looking upward.
Other symptoms may include:
-
Mild dementia
Mild dementia
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior.
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Stiff and uncoordinated movements like those of
Parkinson disease
Parkinson disease
Parkinson disease causes certain brain cells to die. These are the cells that help control movement and coordination. The disease leads to shaking ...
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Exams and Tests
The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask about the symptoms, focusing on the eyes and nervous system.
Tests will be done to check for diseases linked with supranuclear ophthalmoplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might show shrinking of the brainstem.
Magnetic resonance imaging
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body. It does not us...
Treatment
The treatment depends on the cause of the supranuclear ophthalmoplegia.
Outlook (Prognosis)
The outlook depends on the cause of the supranuclear ophthalmoplegia.
References
Lavin PJM. Neuro-ophthalmology. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 44.
Ling H. Clinical approach to progressive supranuclear palsy. J Mov Disord . 2016;9(1):3-13. PMID: 26828211 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26828211 .
Review Date: 5/30/2016
Reviewed By: Amit M. Shelat, DO, FACP, Attending Neurologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, SUNY Stony Brook, School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
