Classical crossed syndromes of the medulla oblongata. A historical and topodiagnostic discussion

Abstract

Historical publications of the classical alternating medulla oblongata syndromes of Wallenberg, Babinski-Nageotte, Cestan-Chenais, Hughlings Jackson, Avellis, Schmidt, Dejerine, Spiller and Tapia were reviewed and critically analysed. We compare these descriptions with descriptions of the brainstem syndromes in well-known modern German, English and Russian neurological textbooks. The anatomic basis and etiology of the alternating medullar syndromes, and the main publications relating to these syndromes were discussed. Causes of the inconsistencies of the modern and historical descriptions of these syndromes might be an ignorance of the historical references. Progress and development of the clinical neurology and neuroanatomy in the late twentieth century, however, has also lead to correction and perfection of some historical descriptions in the modern neurological literature.