Network Localization of Central Hypoventilation Syndrome in Lateral Medullary Infarction

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The brainstem plays a key role in the control of respiration. Strokes involving the lateral medulla can rarely produce a central hypoventilation syndrome (CHS) characterized by loss of automatic respiration called Ondine's curse. In this study, we investigated the neuroanatomical correlates of CHS in patients with lateral medullary infarction (LMI). METHODS Cases of CHS following LMI were identified from searching our medical records and literature. Voxel‐based lesion‐symptom mapping and lesion network‐symptom‐mapping (LNSM) analysis was performed to identify the regions connected to the lesion sites based on normative functional connectome data. RESULTS Sixteen patients with CHS and 32 controls were included. The ventro‐lateral region of the rostral medulla showed a significant association with CHS. LNSM analysis showed connections of this region to the rostral ventro‐lateral medulla and caudal pons. CONCLUSIONS In patients with LMI, disruption of the respiratory control network, at the level of ventro‐lateral region of the rostral medulla, could result in CHS.