Case Report

Unilateral Shivering: A Result of Lateral Medullary Infarction

Authors: Gordon J. Gilbert, MD

Abstract

Shivering is mediated via the predominantly uncrossed reticulospinal tract. We report a case of a patient with left lateral medullary tract infarct involving the reticulospinal tract who displayed ipsilateral absence of shivering during a febrile episode. The physiology and anatomy of shivering and the reticulospinal tract is reviewed.


Key Points


* Shivering is mediated by the predominantly uncrossed reticulospinal tract.


* A patient with left lateral medullary infarct involving the reticulospinal tract displayed ipsilateral absence of shivering when he became febrile from a urinary tract infection.


* The present case is thought to be the first to relate a unilateral injury of the reticulospinal tract in a human to a clinical manifestation: the ipsilateral absence of shivering.

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