BACKGROUND: Approximately 50% of patients with Fisher's syndrome show involvement of the pupillomotor fibers and present with mydriasis and light-near dissociation. However, it is uncertain whether this phenomenon is induced by an aberrant reinnervation mechanism as in tonic pupil, or is based on other mechanisms such as those associated with tectal pupils. CASES: We evaluated the clinical course and the pupillary responses in four of 27 patients with Fisher's syndrome who presented with bilateral mydriasis. OBSERVATIONS: The pupils of both eyes of the four patients were involved at the early stage of Fisher's syndrome. The pupils in patients 1 and 2 showed mydriasis with apparent light-near dissociation lasting for a significant period and had denervation supersensitivity to cholinergic agents. On the other hand, the pupils of patients 3 and 4 were dilated and fixed to both light and near stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations indicate that the denervated iris sphincter muscles, which are supersensitive to the cholinergic transmitter, may play an important role in the expression of light-near dissociation in Fisher's syndrome. Copyright (c) Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2007.
BACKGROUND: Approximately 50% of patients with Fisher's syndrome show involvement of the pupillomotor fibers and present with mydriasis and light-near dissociation. However, it is uncertain whether this phenomenon is induced by an aberrant reinnervation mechanism as in tonic pupil, or is based on other mechanisms such as those associated with tectal pupils. CASES: We evaluated the clinical course and the pupillary responses in four of 27 patients with Fisher's syndrome who presented with bilateral mydriasis. OBSERVATIONS: The pupils of both eyes of the four patients were involved at the early stage of Fisher's syndrome. The pupils in patients 1 and 2 showed mydriasis with apparent light-near dissociation lasting for a significant period and had denervation supersensitivity to cholinergic agents. On the other hand, the pupils of patients 3 and 4 were dilated and fixed to both light and near stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations indicate that the denervated iris sphincter muscles, which are supersensitive to the cholinergic transmitter, may play an important role in the expression of light-near dissociation in Fisher's syndrome. Copyright (c) Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2007.