[Biopercular lesion with inverse dissociation]

Foix-Chavany-Marie Syndrome or anterior opercular syndrome constitutes the cortical form of pseudobulbar palsy. Its most common etiology is stroke in the region of either operculum. Clinically it can be characterized by severe dysarthria and facio-pharyngo-glosso-masticatory dysplasia with automatic-voluntary dissociation. An inversion of this classical dissociation can be seen in patients with emotional paralysis in the face, in whom asymmetry of emotional expression but conservation of voluntary movement can be seen. The lesional topography of this inverse dissociation corresponds to the supplementary motor area. both processes support the existence of an anatomical base which is different for emotional movements and voluntary types. We describe the clinical case of a 65 year old woman with a history of breast cancer who presented a subacute and progressive clinical picture of dysphagia and severe dysarthria. Upon neurological examination slight velo-palato-pharyngea was noticed; most relevant was paralysis of the facial muscles for either emotional or automatic movements while voluntary innervation was maintained. Neuroradiological studies show the presence of brain metastasis located in both Roland opercula. Although the neuroanatomic bases for automatic-voluntary dissociation remain unclear, our case lends weight to the evidence that impulses for voluntary and emotional movements originate in different cortical areas or else take a different route through the brain. We have been unable to find any cases of biopercular lesion with inverse dissociation described in the literature we reviewed.