PRESYMPTOMATIC NEUROLOGICAL INVOLVEMENT IN BEHCETS-DISEASE - THE DIAGNOSTIC ROLE OF MAGNETIC TRANSCRANIAL STIMULATION

Twenty Behcet's disease (BD) patients with or without neurologic signs and symptoms were studied by means of magnetic transcranial stimulati on. The most frequent abnormalities were an increase of motor evoked p otential latency and a delay of central motor conduction time (CMCT). In 5 out of 9 BD patients with pyramidal signs central motor conductio n changes were present. Furthermore, 2 out of 7 patients without neuro logic signs and symptoms showed an increased threshold and a prolonged CMCT. The data obtained suggest that this technique is useful nor onl y to confirm the neurologic impairment but also to reveal subclinical or pre-symptomatic central motor involvement in BD subjects.