Anterior operculum syndrome

The anterior operculum syndrome (AOS) is a well-defined clinical entity that has received little attention in the English literature. We report the clinical and CT findings in 3 cases of AOS; 2 were caused by bilateral cerebral infarctions secondary to bilateral internal carotid occlusion and 1 by the residual effects of viral encephalitis. Although there was variability in the range of deficits found in our cases, each of these patients presented with characteristic facio-pharyngo-glosso-masticatory diplegia with a dramatic automatic-voluntary movement dissociation. This syndrome deserves attention for its characteristic anatomic and prognostic implications.