Ventral pontine lesion with contralateral hemiparesis and mute, dysphagia describes which syndrome?

Prepare for the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Exam with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes insights and explanations to help you excel. Get ready for your certification journey!

Multiple Choice

Ventral pontine lesion with contralateral hemiparesis and mute, dysphagia describes which syndrome?

This scenario hinges on brainstem localization, specifically a ventral pontine lesion. When the basis pontis is involved, the corticospinal and corticobulbar pathways are disrupted. That produces loss of voluntary movement and speech (mutism), along with swallowing difficulties, while consciousness remains intact. The preserved consciousness and the motor weakness pattern align with Locked-In Syndrome, which classically results from a ventral pontine infarct (often basilar artery) and leaves eye movements (especially vertical gaze) and blinking as the remaining means of communication. The other syndromes reflect lesions in different areas (midbrain, thalamus, or basilar tip) and don’t fit this presentation as well.

This scenario hinges on brainstem localization, specifically a ventral pontine lesion. When the basis pontis is involved, the corticospinal and corticobulbar pathways are disrupted. That produces loss of voluntary movement and speech (mutism), along with swallowing difficulties, while consciousness remains intact. The preserved consciousness and the motor weakness pattern align with Locked-In Syndrome, which classically results from a ventral pontine infarct (often basilar artery) and leaves eye movements (especially vertical gaze) and blinking as the remaining means of communication. The other syndromes reflect lesions in different areas (midbrain, thalamus, or basilar tip) and don’t fit this presentation as well.

More practice questions