Diminished regional cerebral blood flow response to vibration in patients with blepharospasm

Citation
Rj. Feiwell et al., Diminished regional cerebral blood flow response to vibration in patients with blepharospasm, NEUROLOGY, 52(2), 1999, pp. 291-297
Citations number
49
Categorie Soggetti
Neurology,"Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
NEUROLOGY
ISSN journal
00283878 → ACNP
Volume
52
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
291 - 297
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-3878(19990115)52:2<291:DRCBFR>2.0.ZU;2-X
Abstract
Objective: To determine whether patients with blepharospasm have abnormal s ensorimotor processing similar to patients with writer's cramp. Background: Blepharospasm is a focal dystonia manifest by involuntary, excessive blink ing and squeezing of the eyes. Altered sensorimotor processing may contribu te to the development of dystonic movements. Previously the authors demonst rated decreased vibration-induced cortical blood flow responses in hand pri mary sensorimotor area (PSA) in patients with hand dystonia. Methods: In th is prospective, case-control study, seven patients with blepharospasm were compared with seven normal subjects. PET measurements of regional blood flo w were obtained using bolus administration of (H2O)-O-15 at rest or during sequential vibration of either the left or the right hand or side of the mo uth. Results: PSA activation decreased significantly in the patients with b lepharospasm both ipsilateral (-68%; p = 0.0004) and contralateral to the s ide of facial stimulation (-56%; p = 0.0009). Patients had a 31% lower mean contralateral PSA response to hand vibration and a 51% smaller right suppl ementary motor area response to left-hand vibration than normal subjects, b ut these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: P atients with blepharospasm have abnormal sensorimotor processing in respons e to lower face vibration. They may also have abnormal brain responses to s timulation of clinically uninvolved parts of the body, but this requires co nfirmation.