aetiology

Last reviewed 01/2018

Causes of a glossopharyngeal nerve palsy can be divided into those of central and peripheral origin:

Central causes including:

• tumours
• vascular lesions, e.g. lateral medullary syndrome
• syringobulbia
• motor neurone disease

Peripheral - posterior fossa - causes including:

• tumours
• aneurysms
• chronic meningitis
• Guillain-Barre syndrome