PROTIRELIN TARTRATE (TRH-T) IN UPPER MOTONEURON SYNDROME - A CONTROLLED NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL-STUDY

This randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 20 pa tients with chronic upper motoneuron syndrome due to ischemic cerebrov ascular lesions, selected in order to ensure the greatest possible hom ogeneity in terms of the severity of the syndrome. All of them were tr eated with protirelin tartrate 4 mg/die i.m. The study included semiqu antitative clinical evaluations of neurological examinations, with par ticular attention being paid to weakness and spasticity. These were ac companied by neurophysiological evaluations (F-waves, magnetic motor e voked potentials). Extended biohumoral investigations of possible side effects were also carried out. The results indicate a slight but stat istically significant absolute improvement in spasticity and muscular strength following protirelin tartrate, especially in the lower limbs; at the same time, the drug also proved to be capable as favourably mo difying the response of the biceps femoris muscle to transcranial magn etic stimulation (reappearance, increased amplitude and a reduction in the threshold of motor evoked potentials). The drug was generally wel l tolerated.