Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal form of neuromuscular disease. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the blink reflex (BR) parameters as a valid and easy-to-use tool in ALS patients. We assessed the BR test in patients with a definitive diagnosis of ALS, healthy volunteers, a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Brain Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/10/1384 |
| _version_ | 1797574520316362752 |
|---|---|
| author | Róbert Rostás István Fekete László Horváth Klára Fekete |
| author_facet | Róbert Rostás István Fekete László Horváth Klára Fekete |
| author_sort | Róbert Rostás |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal form of neuromuscular disease. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the blink reflex (BR) parameters as a valid and easy-to-use tool in ALS patients. We assessed the BR test in patients with a definitive diagnosis of ALS, healthy volunteers, and patients with diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system. The BR was studied in 29 patients who met the Awaji criteria. Latencies were compared with our healthy controls (<i>N</i> = 50) and other diseases of the peripheral nervous system (<i>N</i> = 61). The ALS Functional Rating Scale—Revised (ALSFRS-R) was used to evaluate functional status. Significantly prolonged R2i and R2c latencies were found in the ALS group compared with the healthy control group (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The latencies of R1, R2i, R2c were all increased in the bulbar subtype compared to the limb-onset subtype (<i>p</i> < 0.05). According to our results, BR examination might be a promising tool to monitor the course of the disease or serve as a prognostic biomarker in patients with ALS, but it should be assessed in further studies. The abnormalities detected through BR might help perform earlier interventions in ALS patients and might be useful in other diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:23:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8847023ffb2d4e1f867d7c2c87ebd70f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:23:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-8847023ffb2d4e1f867d7c2c87ebd70f2023-11-19T15:52:10ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252023-09-011310138410.3390/brainsci13101384Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy ControlsRóbert Rostás0István Fekete1László Horváth2Klára Fekete3Division of Radiology and Imaging Science, Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt 98, 4032 Debrecen, HungaryDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Móricz Zsigmond krt 22, 4032 Debrecen, HungaryDepartment of Pharmaceutical Surveillance and Economy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt 98, 4032 Debrecen, HungaryDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Móricz Zsigmond krt 22, 4032 Debrecen, HungaryAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal form of neuromuscular disease. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the blink reflex (BR) parameters as a valid and easy-to-use tool in ALS patients. We assessed the BR test in patients with a definitive diagnosis of ALS, healthy volunteers, and patients with diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system. The BR was studied in 29 patients who met the Awaji criteria. Latencies were compared with our healthy controls (<i>N</i> = 50) and other diseases of the peripheral nervous system (<i>N</i> = 61). The ALS Functional Rating Scale—Revised (ALSFRS-R) was used to evaluate functional status. Significantly prolonged R2i and R2c latencies were found in the ALS group compared with the healthy control group (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The latencies of R1, R2i, R2c were all increased in the bulbar subtype compared to the limb-onset subtype (<i>p</i> < 0.05). According to our results, BR examination might be a promising tool to monitor the course of the disease or serve as a prognostic biomarker in patients with ALS, but it should be assessed in further studies. The abnormalities detected through BR might help perform earlier interventions in ALS patients and might be useful in other diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/10/1384blink reflexamyotrophic lateral sclerosisbulbar lesionupper motor neuronlower motor neuronmotor neuron disease |
| spellingShingle | Róbert Rostás István Fekete László Horváth Klára Fekete Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls Brain Sciences blink reflex amyotrophic lateral sclerosis bulbar lesion upper motor neuron lower motor neuron motor neuron disease |
| title | Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls |
| title_full | Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls |
| title_fullStr | Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls |
| title_short | Blink Reflex Examination in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Compared to Diseases Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System and Healthy Controls |
| title_sort | blink reflex examination in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared to diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system and healthy controls |
| topic | blink reflex amyotrophic lateral sclerosis bulbar lesion upper motor neuron lower motor neuron motor neuron disease |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/10/1384 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertrostas blinkreflexexaminationinpatientswithamyotrophiclateralsclerosiscomparedtodiseasesaffectingtheperipheralnervoussystemandhealthycontrols AT istvanfekete blinkreflexexaminationinpatientswithamyotrophiclateralsclerosiscomparedtodiseasesaffectingtheperipheralnervoussystemandhealthycontrols AT laszlohorvath blinkreflexexaminationinpatientswithamyotrophiclateralsclerosiscomparedtodiseasesaffectingtheperipheralnervoussystemandhealthycontrols AT klarafekete blinkreflexexaminationinpatientswithamyotrophiclateralsclerosiscomparedtodiseasesaffectingtheperipheralnervoussystemandhealthycontrols |