Abducens Nucleus - Clinical Significance

Clinical Significance

Damage to the abducens nerve causes monocular ipsilateral lateral ophthalmoparesis: specifically, loss of the ability to move the ipsilateral eye outward (abduction).

In contrast, damage to the area of the nucleus results in binocular lateral gaze paralysis: loss of the ability to move the eyes together in the direction of the side with the lesion. This is due to damage to both the motoneurons and interneurons projecting through the medial longitudinal fasciculus to the contralateral medial rectus neurons. Note, however, that the eye contralateral to the lesion can still move in the direction of the lesion during convergence movements.