Download PDF
J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2016; 77(01): 059-062
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1566114
Review Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Hypertrophic Olivary Degeneration: A Neurosurgical Point of View

Carlos Henrique Carvalho
1   Department of Neurosurgery, Schwarzwald-Baar Klinik, Academic University Hospital of Freiburg, Villingen, Germany
,
Hubert Kimmig
2   Department of Neurology, Schwarzwald-Baar Klinik, Academic University Hospital of Freiburg, Villingen, Germany
,
William Omar Contreras Lopez
3   Department of Functional Neurosurgery, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Manfred lange
4   Department of Neurosurgery, Schwarzwald-Baar Klinik, Academic University Hospital of Freiburg, Villingen, Germany
,
Reinhard Oeckler
4   Department of Neurosurgery, Schwarzwald-Baar Klinik, Academic University Hospital of Freiburg, Villingen, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

16 November 2014

11 August 2015

Publication Date:
20 November 2015 (online)

Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD) is a rare form of transsynaptic degeneration characterized by hypertrophy of the inferior olivary nucleus situated in the olivary body, part of the medulla oblongata, representing a major source of input to the cerebellum. HOD typically results from focal lesions interrupting connections from the inferior olive within the dentato-rubro-olivary pathway, a region also known as the triangle of Guillain-Mollaret (TGM) (red nucleus, inferior olivary nucleus, and contralateral dentate nucleus). Clinically, HOD presents classically as palatal tremor and can include dentatorubral tremor and/or ocular myoclonus. The pathologic changes associated with HOD feature radiologic changes with the inferior olivary nucleus appearing larger and increasing its T2-weighted signal intensity on magnetic resonance images. HOD is commonly managed with pharmacotherapy but may require surgical intervention in extreme cases. HOD has been found to develop as a consequence of any injury that disrupts the TGM pathways (e.g., pontine cavernoma).These findings highlight the critical importance of a thorough knowledge of TGM anatomy to avoid secondary HOD. We present a patient who developed HOD secondary to resection of a tectal plate cavernous malformation and review the literature with an emphasis on the current knowledge of this disorder.

Keywords

hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD) - triangle of Guillain-Mollaret (TGM) - symptomatic tremor - neurosurgical intervention
 

  • References

  • 1 Bouz P, Woods ROJ, Woods KRM. The pathophysiological basis for hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD) following brainstem insult. JSM Neurosurg Spine 2013; 1 (1) 1004 . Available at: http://www.jscimedcentral.com/Neurosurgery/Articles/neurosurgery-1-1004.php
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Guillain G, Mollaret P. Deux cas de myoclonies synchones et rhythms velopharyngo-laryngo-oculo-diaphragmatiques. Rev Neurol 1931; 545-566
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 Oppenheim H. Über olivendegeneration bei atheromatose der basalen hirnarterien. Berl Klin Wochenshr 1887; 34: 638-639
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 4 Khoyratty F, Wilson T. The dentato-rubro-olivary tract: clinical dimension of this anatomical pathway. . Case Rep Otolaryngol 2013; 934386
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 5 Salamon-Murayama N, Russell EJ, Rabin BM. Diagnosis please. Case 17: hypertrophic olivary degeneration secondary to pontine hemorrhage. Radiology 1999; 213 (3) 814-817
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Conforto AB, Smid J, Marie SK , et al. Bilateral olivary hypertrophy after unilateral cerebellar infarction. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2005; 63 (2A): 321-323
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 Goto N, Kakimi S, Kaneko M. Olivary enlargement: stage of initial astrocytic changes. Clin Neuropathol 1988; 7 (1) 39-43
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Goto N, Kaneko M. Olivary enlargement: chronological and morphometric analyses. Acta Neuropathol 1981; 54 (4) 275-282
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Kitajima M, Korogi Y, Shimomura O , et al. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration: MR imaging and pathologic findings. Radiology 1994; 192 (2) 539-543
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 10 Goyal M, Versnick E, Tuite P , et al. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration: metaanalysis of the temporal evolution of MR findings. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2000; 21 (6) 1073-1077
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Auffray-Calvier E, Desal HA, Naudou-Giron E , et al. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration. MR imaging findings and temporal evolution [in French]. J Neuroradiol 2005; 32 (1) 67-72
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 12 Dinçer A, Özyurt O, Kaya D , et al. Diffusion tensor imaging of Guillain-Mollaret triangle in patients with hypertrophic olivary degeneration. J Neuroimaging 2011; 21 (2) 145-151
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Krings T, Foltys H, Meister IG, Reul J. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration following pontine haemorrhage: hypertensive crisis or cavernous haemangioma bleeding?. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2003; 74 (6) 797-799
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 Asal N, Yılmaz O, Turan A, Yiğit H, Duymuş M, Tekin E. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration after pontine hemorrhage. Neuroradiology 2012; 54 (4) 413-415
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Cristini A, Fischer C, Sindou M. Tectal plate cavernoma-a special entity of brainstem cavernomas: case report. Surg Neurol 2004; 61 (5) 474-478 ; discussion 487
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Carr CM, Hunt CH, Kaufmann TJ, Kotsenas AL, Krecke KN, Wood CP. Frequency of bilateral hypertrophic olivary degeneration in a large retrospective cohort. J Neuroimaging 2015; 25 (2) 289-295
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Gerace C, Fele MR, Luna R, Piazza G. Neurological picture. Bilateral hypertrophic olivary degeneration. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2006; 77 (1) 73
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Menezes Cordeiro I, Tavares JB, Reimão S, Geraldes R, Ferro JM. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration after pontine hemorrhage: a cause of delayed neurological deterioration. Cerebrovasc Dis 2013; 36 (2) 153-154
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 Vaidhyanath R, Thomas A, Messios N. Bilateral hypertrophic olivary degeneration following surgical resection of a posterior fossa epidermoid cyst. Br J Radiol 2010; 83 (994) e211-e215
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 Sanverdi SE, Oguz KK, Haliloglu G. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration in children: four new cases and a review of the literature with an emphasis on the MRI findings. Br J Radiol 2012; 85 (1013) 511-516
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 21 Nowak J, Alkonyi B, Rutkowski S, Homola GA, Warmuth-Metz M. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration with gadolinium enhancement after posterior fossa surgery in a child with medulloblastoma. Childs Nerv Syst 2014; 30 (5) 959-962
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 22 Rieder CR, Rebouças RG, Ferreira MP. Holmes tremor in association with bilateral hypertrophic olivary degeneration and palatal tremor: chronological considerations. Case report. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2003; 61 (2B): 473-477
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 23 Menéndez DF, Cury RG, Barbosa ER , et al. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration and holmes' tremor secondary to bleeding of cavernous malformation in the midbrain. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (NY) 2014; 8 (4) 264
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 24 Shepherd GM, Tauböll E, Bakke SJ, Nyberg-Hansen R. Midbrain tremor and hypertrophic olivary degeneration after pontine hemorrhage. Mov Disord 1997; 12 (3) 432-437
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 25 Yang YW, Chang FC, Tsai CH , et al. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging manifestations of Holmes tremor. Acta Neurol Taiwan 2005; 14 (1) 9-15
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 26 Yun JH, Ahn JS, Park JC, Kwon H, Kwun BD, Kim CJ. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration following surgical resection or gamma knife radiosurgery of brainstem cavernous malformations: an 11-case series and a review of literature. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2013; 155 (3) 469-476
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 27 Gatlin JL, Wineman R, Schlakman B, Buciuc R, Khan M. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration after resection of a pontine cavernous malformation: a case report. J Radiol Case Rep 2011; 5 (3) 24-29
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 28 Hornyak M, Osborn AG, Couldwell WT. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration after surgical removal of cavernous malformations of the brain stem: report of four cases and review of the literature. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2008; 150 (2) 149-156 ; discussion 156
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 29 Otto J, Guenther P, Hoffmann KT. Bilateral hypertrophic olivary degeneration in Wilson disease. Korean J Radiol 2013; 14 (2) 316-320
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 30 Tsui EY, Cheung YK, Mok CK, Yuen MK, Chan JH. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration following surgical excision of brainstem cavernous hemangioma: a case report. Clin Imaging 1999; 23 (4) 215-217
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar