Cerebellar stimulation in acute cerebellar ataxia.
OBJECTIVE
To report follow-up studies of cerebellar stimulation in patients with acute cerebellar ataxia (ACA).


METHODS
We studied two patients with ACA. One patient also had decreased deep sensations in the feet due to combined diseases such as diabetic polyneuropathy and lumbosacral radiculopathies. We applied the technique of electrical stimulation over the cerebellum which was reported previously (Ugawa et al., J Physiol 441 (1991a) 57).


RESULTS
Conditioning stimulation over the cerebellum did not reduce the size of motor-evoked potentials to test magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex at conditioning-test intervals of 5, 6, and 7 ms in the acute stage in both patients. However, normal suppression was recognized in the recovery stage in both patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique was useful for follow-up evaluation of cerebellar function in patients with ACA and was also useful for distinguishing cerebellar ataxia from sensory ataxia in a patient with combined diseases.
Department of Neurology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu City 807-8555, Japan. k-matsu@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
K
K
Matsunaga
T
T
Uozumi
T
T
Hashimoto
S
S
Tsuji
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors