What Is Wallenberg Syndrome?
Wallenberg syndrome, also called lateral medullary syndrome, is a type of stroke that affects the stem part of the brain. This is the region comprising the medulla oblongata. The syndrome occurs when blood supply is curtailed due to blockage within either of the two arteries supplying this region of the brain. The two arteries are known as vertebral artery and posterior inferior cerebellar artery.
Similar to other parts of the brain, when starved of oxygen for a length of time, the affected brain cells can no longer function properly and may end up dying. When this happens, it leads to the symptoms associated with Wallenberg syndrome. The condition, whose predisposing factors include smoking, hypertension, and diabetes, is more common in men aged 55 years or older.
