Foster Kennedy syndrome is a constellation of findings associated with tumors of the
frontal lobe.
Although Foster Kennedy syndrome is sometimes called "Kennedy syndrome", it should not be confused with Kennedy disease, or
spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, which is named after
William R. Kennedy
William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...
.
Pseudo-Foster Kennedy syndrome is defined as one-sided optic atrophy with
papilledema in the other eye but with the absence of a mass.
Presentation
The syndrome is defined as the following changes:
*
optic atrophy in the ipsilateral eye
* disc edema in the contralateral eye
* central
scotoma (loss of vision in the middle of the visual fields) in the ipsilateral eye
*
anosmia (loss of smell) ipsilaterally
This syndrome is due to optic nerve compression, olfactory nerve compression, and increased
intracranial pressure (ICP) secondary to a mass (such as
meningioma
Meningioma, also known as meningeal tumor, is typically a slow-growing tumor that forms from the meninges, the membranous layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms depend on the location and occur as a result of the tumor pressing o ...
or
plasmacytoma, usually an olfactory groove meningioma).
There are other symptoms present in some cases such as
nausea and
vomiting,
memory loss and
emotional lability (i.e.,
frontal lobe signs).
Diagnosis
Brain tumor can be visualized very well on CT scan, but MRI gives better detail and is the
preferred study.
Clinical localization of brain tumors may be possible by virtue of specific neurologic deficits or
symptom patterns.
Tumor at the base of the frontal lobe produces inappropriate behavior, optic nerve
atrophy on the side of the tumor, papilledema on the other side, and
anosmia.
Treatment
The treatment, and therefore prognosis, varies depending upon the underlying tumour.
While awaiting surgical removal, treat any increased intracranial pressure
with high-dose steroids (i.e., dexamethasone).
History
The syndrome was first extensively noted by
Robert Foster Kennedy
Dr Robert Foster Kennedy MD FRSE (7 February 1884 – 1952) was an Irish-born neurologist largely working in America. He gives his name to Foster-Kennedy syndrome, the Kaplan-Kennedy test and Kennedy's Syndrome. He was one of the first medical d ...
in 1911, an Irish
neurologist, who spent most of his career working in the
United States of America.
However, the first mention of the syndrome came from a
William Gowers in 1893. Schultz–Zehden described the symptoms again in 1905. A later description was written by Wilhelm Uhthoff in 1915.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster Kennedy Syndrome
Eye diseases
Neurological disorders
Syndromes affecting the nervous system
Syndromes affecting the eye
Syndromes with tumors