TY - JOUR
T1 - Does galvanic vestibular stimulation decrease spasticity in clinically complete spinal cord injury?
AU - Čobeljić, Radoje D
AU - Ribarič-Jankes, Ksenija
AU - Aleksić, Antonina
AU - Popović-Maneski, Lana Z.
AU - Schwirtlich, Laszlo B
AU - Popović, Dejan B.
PY - 2018/9
Y1 - 2018/9
N2 - The aim of this study was to determine changes in clinical and biomechanical measures of spasticity after administering galvanic vestibular stimulation in patients with a complete spinal cord injury (SCI). The spasticity in the lower limbs was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale and the pendulum test in seven SCI patients (grade A on the ASIA Impairment Scale) before (0), immediately after (0), and at 5 and 30 min after the real versus sham galvanic vestibular stimulation (15 s each, anode over the right mastoid). Overall, the changes in spasticity were not significantly different between the real and sham galvanic vestibular stimulation. However, the Modified Ashworth Scale and the pendulum test indicated a reduction in spasticity in two out of seven patients. The results suggest that galvanic vestibular stimulation may modify spasticity in some patients with complete SCI, presumably through the residual vestibulospinal influences. Future studies should determine clinical and neurophysiological profiles of responders versus nonresponders and optimize parameters of galvanic vestibular stimulation.
AB - The aim of this study was to determine changes in clinical and biomechanical measures of spasticity after administering galvanic vestibular stimulation in patients with a complete spinal cord injury (SCI). The spasticity in the lower limbs was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale and the pendulum test in seven SCI patients (grade A on the ASIA Impairment Scale) before (0), immediately after (0), and at 5 and 30 min after the real versus sham galvanic vestibular stimulation (15 s each, anode over the right mastoid). Overall, the changes in spasticity were not significantly different between the real and sham galvanic vestibular stimulation. However, the Modified Ashworth Scale and the pendulum test indicated a reduction in spasticity in two out of seven patients. The results suggest that galvanic vestibular stimulation may modify spasticity in some patients with complete SCI, presumably through the residual vestibulospinal influences. Future studies should determine clinical and neurophysiological profiles of responders versus nonresponders and optimize parameters of galvanic vestibular stimulation.
KW - Ashworth score
KW - Pendulum test
KW - Spasticity
KW - Spinal cord injury
KW - Vestibular stimulation
KW - Spinal Cord Injuries/physiopathology
KW - Humans
KW - Muscle Spasticity/physiopathology
KW - Vestibular Nuclei/physiology
KW - Electric Stimulation Therapy
KW - Vestibular Nerve/physiology
KW - Lower Extremity/physiopathology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051862425&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000297
DO - 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000297
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 29889116
SN - 0342-5282
VL - 41
SP - 251
EP - 257
JO - International Journal of Rehabilitation Research
JF - International Journal of Rehabilitation Research
IS - 3
ER -