Article Text

Download PDFPDF
False localising signs
  1. A J Larner
  1. Dr A J Larner, Consultant Neurologist, Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Lower Lane, Fazkerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ, UK; a.larner{at}thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk

Abstract

Neurological signs have been described as “false localising” if they reflect dysfunction distant or remote from the expected anatomical locus of pathology, hence challenging the traditional clinicoanatomical correlation paradigm on which neurological examination is based. False localising signs occur in two major contexts: as a consequence of raised intracranial pressure, and with spinal cord lesions. Cranial nerve palsies (especially sixth nerve palsy), hemiparesis, sensory features (such as truncal sensory levels), and muscle atrophy, may all occur as false localising signs. Awareness that signs may be false localising has implications for diagnostic investigation.

  • false localising signs
  • intracranial hypertension
  • nerve palsy
  • IIH, intracranial hypertension
  • MRI, magnetic resonance imaging

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Footnotes