aetiology

Last reviewed 12/2022

Causes of a hypoglossal nerve palsy include:

  • bilateral upper motor neurone lesion: vascular, tumour, motor neurone disease

  • unilateral motor neurone lesion: - central causes: vascular, e.g. thrombosis of the veterbral artery; motor neurone disease; syringobulbia - peripheral causes:
      • posterior fossa: tumours; chronic meningitis; aneurysms; trauma
      • upper neck causes: syringomyelia; tumours; lymphadenopathy; Arnold Chiari malformation

Bilateral motor neurone lesion: Guillain Barre syndrome; motor neurone disease; poliomyelitis; Arnold Chiari malformation.