[Cranial polyradiculitis or the so-called Fisher syndrome]

In the light of 3 personally observed cases a description is given of polyradiculitis cranialis or socalled Fisher's syndrome, a separate form of Guillain-Barre-Strohl polyradiculitis. It is a combination of acute ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. The cause is probably an immunological reaction to a harmless infectious disease. Reversible or limited demyelination is assumed. The demyelination occurs particularly in the peripheral nerves and their spinal roots, but also in the spinal-cerebellar pathways and possibly in the nuclei of the cranial or optic nerves. Diagnosis is based on detection of "albumino-cytologic dissociation" in the cerebrospinal fluid and the finding of a lesion of the peripheral motor neuron in the EMG. Special drug therapy is unnecessary. The prognosis is good: complete remission is usually observed.