brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Locked In Syndrome
Introduction
The locked-in syndrome consists of almost complete paralysis. Awareness and mental function are not affected. People cannot make facial expressions, move, speak, or communicate on their own, but they can move their eyes up and down and blink. Locked-in syndrome is usually caused by a stroke but may be caused by Guillain-Barré syndrome or cancer that affects a certain part of the brain. People with this syndrome cannot move their lower face, chew, swallow, speak, move their limbs, or move their eyes from side to side, but they can usually see, hear, move their eyes up and down, and blink. To identify locked-in syndrome, doctors test people who do not move and appear unresponsive by asking them to open and close their eyes, and they do imaging tests to identify the cause. Treatment includes treating the cause (if identified), providing good nutrition, preventing problems due to not being able to move (such as pressure sores), and providing communication training. Locked-in syndrome usually results from a Overview of Stroke . But it may result from Any disorder (such as brain cancer, an infection, or a head injury) that destroys the middle part of the brain stem but does not affect the parts of the brain that control consciousness and mental function (the upper part of the brain stem and the cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain) Certain toxic substances, such as insecticides, or overuse of opioids Rarely, complete paralysis of peripheral nerves and muscles, as may result from severe Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) or from cancer that affects the middle part of the brain stem or the area around it 