title: Eye movement quantitative evaluation before and after high-dose 6-methylprednisolone in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: We studied saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements in 24 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis during disease worsening, before and after high-dose 6-methylprednisolone infusions. Quantitative evaluation of saccades was based on amplitude/duration and amplitude/peak velocity relationships, precision (i.e. the ratio of actual to desired saccade amplitude) and the latency, whereas smooth pursuit eye movements were studied using target velocity/performance index relationship. At basal recordings, 22/24 (91.7%) of the patients showed at lest one abnormality. Eleven of the 24 patients (45.8%) showed modification of one or several parameters: improvement in 6 patients, worsening in 2, coexistence of both trends in 3. Latency improvement was the only significant modification when patients were considered as a group. Neurophysiological modifications did not correspond to clinical changes.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Institute C. Mondino, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Versino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bergamaschi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Callieco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castelnovo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beltrami
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cosi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008775:Methylprednisolone