Multiple system atrophy with oculomotor abnormalities as a prominent manifestation: A case series

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a group of adult-onset sporadic neurodegenerative diseases, mainly classified as MSA-C and MSA-P types. Due to the diversity of clinical symptoms, diagnosis faces a significant challenge. In the present case, we report a patient with isolated vertigo as the first presentation and abnormalities of the oculomotor system as the characteristic manifestations.

A 64-year-old male had dizziness for 1 year, aggravated for 4 months, with accompanying symptoms of unsteady walking. Physical examination revealed spontaneous nystagmus, abnormal ataxic movements, and a broad basal gait. Video nystagmography revealed saccade intrusions and macrosaccadic oscillations, and opsoclonus. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was unremarkable early, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) announced a reduction in the volume of the cerebellum and brainstem.

The diagnosis of the possibility of MSA type-C, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and lacunar cerebral infarction was performed.

Atypical early clinical presentation may lead to delays, and identifying the critical problem through the patient simple clinical status requires long-term clinical experience and various ancillary examination tools.