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A clinical neurophysiologic study of tropical spastic paraparesis
Author(s) -
Ludolph Albert C.,
Hugon Jacques,
Román Gustavo C.,
Spencer Peter S.,
Schoenberg Bruce S.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880110417
Subject(s) - tropical spastic paraparesis , electromyography , medicine , subclinical infection , somatosensory evoked potential , spastic , median nerve , sensory system , physical medicine and rehabilitation , peripheral neuropathy , tibial nerve , stimulation , surgery , anesthesia , neuroscience , psychology , spinal cord , pathology , myelopathy , cerebral palsy , psychiatry , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology
Abstract During a field study in the Seychelles Islands, 19 patients with tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) were evaluated electrophysiologically. Methods of assessment included motor and sensory nerve conduction studies, electromyography, and analysis of the somatosensory evoked potentials after stimulation of the tibial and median nerves. The results showed that the most prominent feature of the disease, a spastic paraparesis, is accompanied by subclinical involvement of spinal sensory pathways and a comparatively minor peripheral sensorimotor polyneuropathy.