Influence of dorsal column stimulation (DCS) on spastic movement disorders.
Dorsal column stimulation in two spastic patients with upper motor neurone disease showed the following effects: 1. The subjective feeling of stiffness decreased. During DCS patients were able to walk longer distances without rest. 2. The ability to perform fast alternating or synchronous "pedal-pressing" foot movements improved by 15%. 3. The threshold of H-reflexes was enhanced up to 12%, and outlasted the end of stimulation by two minutes. 4. The H-reflex amplitude was depressed in relation to intensity and duration of DC-stimulation up to 10 minutes after the end of DCS. 5. A late second facilitatory wave at 300 msec in the curve for H-reflexes conditioned by a short tibial stimulus was inhibited during DCS. Although the hyperexcitability of the H-reflex was dampened significantly during DCS the whole motor disturbance improved only slightly.
D000328:Adult; D000674:Amputees; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000209:etiology; D012018:Reflex; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology