[Hiccup and dysfunction of the inferior olivary complex]

Two patients with chronic hiccup and MRI demonstrated lesions at the level of the inferior olivary complex are here reported. Whereas the neurological examination was normal in case 1, case 2 had the syndrome of palatal myoclonus and progressive ataxia. In the case 1, extensive electrophysiological studies were consistent with hiccup, in the absence of any other disorder (in particular, there was no evidence of palatal myoclonus). These findings suggest that the dysfunction of the inferior olivary complex could be implicated in the pathogenesis of hiccup.