Ophthalmoplegie, Ataxie, Areflexie (Fisher-Syndrom) - Ein Beitrag zur Polyneuritis cranialis

Five cases of a syndrome usually named after M. Fisher are presented regarding etiology, clinical symptomatology and nosological classification. The main features of the clinical course correlate in all details with published reports: 1. antecedent infection, 2. paresthesias in the hands, 3. cerebellar ataxia, 4. diplopia, 5. external ophthalmoplegia, 6. slowing of pupillary reactions, 7. generalized areflexia, 8. minimal or no sensory impairment and paresis, 9. retention of consciousness, 10. albuminocytologic dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid, 11. recovery without specific therapy. Virological studies in two cases showed a cytopathic effect on monkey kidney cells, which up to now was extented to three other passages. The noteworthy and uniform clinical course of the syndrome is considered to be an atypical polyradiculitis (Guillain-Barré syndrome) with particular involvement of the brain stem. This also explains the debatable problem of cerebellar ataxia as issuing from damage to the cerebellar tracts in the brain stem.