DOES NYSTAGMUS OCCUR IN LESIONS OF THE CERVICAL CORD?

RECENT reports¹ have called attention to the importance of a differential diagnosis of supracervical and cervical lesions, especially those due to herniated cervical disk. Some authors have observed that nystagmus is associated with lesions of the cervical portions of the cord. Obviously, it is then important, for diagnostic purposes, to determine the frequency of nystagmus in cervical lesions. In view of the relative paucity of reports in the literature, it was decided to investigate this matter.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE  Kraus and Silverman² reported one case of osteofibroma of the odontoid process with nystagmus, one of intramedullary glioma at the third cervical segment with nystagmoid jerks, and one of intramedullary sarcoma at the first to the fourth cervical segment with distinct nystagmus to the right.Nystagmus has even been discovered in association with lesions of the thoracic segments. Thus, Wiersma³ reported an intradural fibroma at the seventh