open access

Vol 50, No 5 (2016)
Original research articles
Submitted: 2016-03-15
Get Citation

Diagnostic value of blink reflex in multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson disease

Elzbieta Szmidt-Salkowska1, Malgorzata Gawel1, Zygmunt Jamrozik1, Joanna Salkowska-Wanat2, Damian Gawel3, Anna Kaminska1
DOI: 10.1016/j.pjnns.2016.06.001
·
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2016;50(5):336-341.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, 8 Kondratowicza str, 03-242 Warsaw, Poland
  2. Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
  3. Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Warsaw, Poland

open access

Vol 50, No 5 (2016)
Original research articles
Submitted: 2016-03-15

Abstract

Abnormal blink reflex (BR) is a result of reticular brainstem pathways dysfunction and seems to be one of the features of brain degenerative disorders.

The aim of the study was to estimate the diagnostic value of blink reflex in neurodegenerative diseases such as: multisystem atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Parkinson disease (PD).

Material consisted of 99 patients with clinically probable MSA (51), PSP (28) and PD (20). MSA patients were divided into two subgroups, with dominant cerebellar (MSA-C) and parkinsonian signs (MSA-P). The mean age of patients was 64.9 years (47–79 years); males – 55.3%.

Blink reflex was obtained in a typical way.

Results

The significant differences in mean values of blink reflex latencies between PD and other subgroups (MSA-P, MSA-C, PSP) were found, but all of them were in normal range. In individual patients with PD and PSP (50% and 18%, respectively) delayed R2 latencies were recorded.

Conclusions

The most frequently abnormal blink reflexes, comparing the MSA, PSP and PD groups, were present in PD patients. We postulate that this may be explained by pathological influence of nigrostriatal pathway on the circuit linking the basal ganglia, cerebellum and brainstem.

Abstract

Abnormal blink reflex (BR) is a result of reticular brainstem pathways dysfunction and seems to be one of the features of brain degenerative disorders.

The aim of the study was to estimate the diagnostic value of blink reflex in neurodegenerative diseases such as: multisystem atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Parkinson disease (PD).

Material consisted of 99 patients with clinically probable MSA (51), PSP (28) and PD (20). MSA patients were divided into two subgroups, with dominant cerebellar (MSA-C) and parkinsonian signs (MSA-P). The mean age of patients was 64.9 years (47–79 years); males – 55.3%.

Blink reflex was obtained in a typical way.

Results

The significant differences in mean values of blink reflex latencies between PD and other subgroups (MSA-P, MSA-C, PSP) were found, but all of them were in normal range. In individual patients with PD and PSP (50% and 18%, respectively) delayed R2 latencies were recorded.

Conclusions

The most frequently abnormal blink reflexes, comparing the MSA, PSP and PD groups, were present in PD patients. We postulate that this may be explained by pathological influence of nigrostriatal pathway on the circuit linking the basal ganglia, cerebellum and brainstem.

Get Citation

Keywords

Blink reflex, Multisystem atrophy, Progressive supranuclear palsy, Parkinson disease

About this article
Title

Diagnostic value of blink reflex in multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson disease

Journal

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska

Issue

Vol 50, No 5 (2016)

Pages

336-341

Page views

616

Article views/downloads

758

DOI

10.1016/j.pjnns.2016.06.001

Bibliographic record

Neurol Neurochir Pol 2016;50(5):336-341.

Keywords

Blink reflex
Multisystem atrophy
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Parkinson disease

Authors

Elzbieta Szmidt-Salkowska
Malgorzata Gawel
Zygmunt Jamrozik
Joanna Salkowska-Wanat
Damian Gawel
Anna Kaminska

Regulations

Important: This website uses cookies. More >>

The cookies allow us to identify your computer and find out details about your last visit. They remembering whether you've visited the site before, so that you remain logged in - or to help us work out how many new website visitors we get each month. Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically, but you can change the settings of your browser to erase cookies or prevent automatic acceptance if you prefer.

By VM Media Group sp. z o.o., ul. Świętokrzyska 73, 80–180 Gdańsk, Poland
tel.:+48 58 320 94 94, fax:+48 58 320 94 60, e-mail: viamedica@viamedica.pl