On the etiology of synkinesis following facial nerve palsy

Abstract

The authors report on patients with degeneration potentials in electromyography in at least one mimic muscle during the course of their Bell's palsy. In some of these patients, who had synkinesis moving certain mimic muscles, analysis of the distribution of degeneration potentials showed no such potentials in these (but in other) muscles during the course of their paralysis. These findings point to the possibility that not only misdirected axons but also more centrally located structures of the CNS may be involved in the genesis of synkinesis following Bell's palsy.

Key Words:

• Facial nerve
• Bell's palsy
• etiology
• synkinesis
• electromyography
• neurobiology