Neck-tongue syndrome: a case caused by atlanto-axial osteoarthritis of tuberculous origin

The neck-tongue syndrome involves paroxystic pain in the nape of neck associated with sensitive disorders of the ipsilateral hemitongue aggravated by movements of the nape of neck. It is attributed to relating fibers of proprioceptive origin which pass through the great nervus hypoglossus from the second cervical stria. The lingual pseudoathetosis is also reported to a proprioceptive deafferentation of the tongue. In most of cases, no etiology has been found. We report a case of neck-tongue syndrome with pseudoathetosis, related to an atloaxoid osteoarthritis of tuberculous origin.