Sensory neuronopathies (SN) are peripheral nervous system disorders associated with degeneration of dorsal root ganglion neurons. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown abnormalities limited to T2-weighted high signal intensity in the posterior columns.
A 65-year-old woman with Sjögren syndrome had slowly progressive unsteadiness of gait and limb paresthesias. A blink reflex examination suggested a paramedian brainstem lesion, confirmed by MRI.
Sjögren's syndrome-related SN may be associated with a more diffuse immune-mediated aggression, involving also the brainstem, and leading to some of the blink reflex abnormalities observed in nonparaneoplastic SN.