Article

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.

Langue : ANGLAIS