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Aetiology of cranial nerve XI palsy

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Accessory nerve palsy may have unilateral and bilateral causes.

Unilateral causes include:

  • trauma involving the neck or the base of the skull
  • syringomyelia
  • tumours - near the jugular foramen
  • poliomyelitis
  • platybasia

Bilateral causes include:

  • motor neuron disease
  • poliomyelitis
  • Guillain-Barre syndrome

Note that bilateral sternomastoid and trapezius paralysis may also occur in myotonic dystrophy.

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