IMPROVEMENT OF HYPERTONUS AFTER TREATMENT FOR SLEEP DISTURBANCES IN 3PATIENTS WITH SEVERE BRAIN-DAMAGE

Treatment for sleep disturbance was given to three patients with sever e brain damage (a 14-year-old boy, an 8-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy), and changes in their muscle tone were estimated using F-wave an alysis. In all patients, F-wave analysis was performed in the ulnar ne rve before and 2 weeks after treatment with flunitrazepam or melatonin . From 16 recordings of F-waves, the mean amplitude and latency, the r atio of F-wave amplitude to M-wave amplitude (F/M ratio), the mean F-w ave conduction velocity and the F-wave occurrence were evaluated. All patients showed at least one significant decrement of mean F-wave ampl itude, the F-wave occurrence and mean F/M ratio, which suggests a redu ction in muscle tone after treatment for sleep disturbance. It is conc luded that treatment for sleep disturbance occurring in brain damage i s important in view of the improvement of increased muscle tone. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science B.V.