RELEVANCE OF THE BLINK-REFLEX IN DIAGNOSIS AND FOLLOW-UP CONTROL OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS

GEHLEN,W., KOUNTOURIS, D., FRITZE, J., GREULICH, W., SCHMID, U., KUTTA,W., Neurologische Abt., Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Univ. Klinik, 4630 Bochum, FRG

The blink-reflex was recorded in 215 patients in whom various neurological disorders had been confirmed by other adequate examinations (22 cases of multiple sclerosis, 14 ischemic brainstem strokes, 33 brainstem posterior fossa tumors, 23 head injuries, 24 cases of parkinsonism, 29 patients with Bell's palsy, 56 cases of diabetic neuropathy and 14 of alcoholic neuropathy). Approximately 90% of the initial blink-reflex recordings showed abnormalities featuring increased latencies and reduced amplitudes of the potentials or part of them. In 76 patients, consecutive recordings could be performed: approximately 70% revealed further changes in comparison to the initial recording, where the electrophysiological parameters tended to worsen in brainstem tumors on the one hand and to improve in Bell's palsy, vascular disorders, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's diseases parallel to the clinical development on the other hand. Concluding, the blink reflex examination proved to be a reliable method for the documentation and follow-up control in different neurological diseases, particularly in brainstem affections and Bell's palsy.

Abstract published in Journal of Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 1983;56(3)

Paper presented at the 7^th International Congress of Elecrtomyography , Munich, Germany, October, 9-13,1983