Isolated Acquired Unilateral Horizontal Gaze Paresis from a Putative Lesion of the Abducens Nucleus

Abstract

In three patients, acute horizontal gaze pareses developed that could not be overcome with the oculocephalic maneuver, indicating a putative lesion of the ipsilateral abducens nerve nucleus. None of the patients had a facial nerve paresis or evidence of a trigeminal sensory neuropathy. Although most lesions that affect the abducens nerve nucleus also damage the ipsilateral fasciculus of the facial nerve, small lesions in this region can produce an isolated horizontal gaze paresis.