Two Cases of Central Facial Palsy due to Medullary Infarction

ABSTRACT

According to the anatomical pathways of the corticobulbar tract, it is known that the responsible lesion site of central facial palsy is at the level of the midpons or the more rostral portion. In rare cases, central facial palsy is found in medullary lesions. We report two cases of medullary infarctions which presented as central facial palsy. These cases suggested that the hypothesis that part of the pathway of the facial corticobulbar fibers descend ipsilaterally to the lower medulla before decussating and ascending contralaterally to the facial nucleus.