Argyll-Robertson Syndrome

Classification according to ICD-10
H58.0 *	Pupillary reaction abnormalities in diseases classified elsewhere - Argyll-Robertson phenomenon or reflex pupillary rigidity, syphilitic
A52.1 +	Florid neurosyphilis
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

The Argyll-Robertson syndrome (also phenomenon or paralysis ) was named after the ophthalmologist Argyll Robertson (1837-1909). This is a specific form of reflective pupillary rigidity that is typical of neurolues (infestation of the nervous system in the late stages of syphilis disease ).

With reflective pupillary rigidity, the reaction of the pupils to light - mostly on both sides - is extinguished. The convergence reaction , however, is intact. Argyll-Robertson syndrome also has miosis ( constriction of the pupils ).

The cause of the pupillary rigidity is a lesion of the brain tissue between the pretectal region and the accessory nucleus of the oculomotor nerve (Edinger-Westphal nucleus). The latter is the brain area responsible for the constriction of the pupils to light. The nucleus itself is intact - but not its afferent pathway , which runs in the aforementioned pretectal region.

How miosis comes about has probably not yet been finally clarified; the sympathetic fiber lesion is discussed .

literature

• Klaus Poeck , Werner Hacke : Neurology . Springer, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-540-29997-1 .

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !