„Zungenkrampf” – Der Spasmus hemilingualis als eine seltene Ursache

Spasms in the face or mouth are often a challenge for neurologists. A rare cause is hemilingual spasm. In analogy to the hemifacial spasm in which the facial nerve is involved, the hypoglossus nerve is compressed. We report on a patient with hemilingual spasm in whom dislocation of the hypoglossus nerve by the vertebral artery and the cerebellar posterior inferior artery was found. Treatment options are the same as for hemifacial spasm (e. g., carbamazepine, pregabaline, gabapentin, botulinum toxin or decompression surgery). Our patient was able to control the symptoms by chewing. Possible pathophysiological concepts are discussed.