Bilateral central ptosis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

A man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome suddenly developed bilateral complete ptosis and minor vertical gaze limitation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion in the midbrain surrounding the sylvian aqueduct in addition to bilateral masses in the caudate nuclei. Pathologic examination showed that the caudate lesions were central nervous system lymphoma of B cell origin, but the midbrain lesion contained only signs of AIDS encephalopathy. The periaqueductal lesion involved the caudal central subnucleus and probably also the subnuclei of the superior and inferior recti of the oculomotor nuclear complex bilaterally.