Hearing loss is an uncommon symptom in multiple sclerosis. We report two patients in whom unilateral sudden hearing loss was the first monosymptomatic manifestation of multiple sclerosis. We confirmed the initial central auditory dysfunction suggested by audiometric findings and brainstem auditory evoked potentials by MRI, which showed a unilateral pontine lesion in one patient and a lesion in the medulla oblongata in the other.

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.

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The aim of this study was to establish whether functional characteristics of the somatosensory system structures in man comply with the frequency following response (FFR) generators. Somatosensory cerebral evoked potentials (SsCEP) were recorded by skin electrodes, and spinal somatosensory evoked potentials (SpEP) both by epidural and skin electrodes. In SpEP and SsCEP to trains of electrical or mechanical stimuli, a decrease of the amplitude to subsequent stimuli was found. SpEP were also attenuated by higher stimulation rates. It is highly improbable, therefore, that somatosensory system can contribute to the FFR-like response recorded in profoundly deaf people.

The testing indicated that SVV perception showed a bigger tilt according to age. This should be taken into consideration in individual testing and evaluation of functional ability.

Study design: In this study, we explored how galvanic vestibular stimulation can modify the soleus H-reflex (Hoffman reflex), that is, the excitability of the spinal cord circuits, in healthy humans. Objectives: Our aim was to demonstrate H-reflex amplitude modulation caused by changing the duration and the intensity of the anodal galvanic vestibular stimulation. Therefore, we measured H-reflex before and after applied vestibular stimulation. Settings: This study was conducted in Rehabilitation Clinic, Belgrade, Serbia. Methods: The measurements were performed on 5 male volunteers aged 22-30 years. Anodal galvanic stimulation was applied on the right mastoid in prone position. H-reflex was elicited by nervus tibialis stimulation and measured from the right soleus muscle. In three subjects, trains of weak and strong galvanic stimuli (1, 5 and 9) were applied. In two subjects, only a train of 9 strong stimuli was applied. Results: A statistically significant decrease of the H-reflex amplitude after anodal galvanic stimulation was demonstrated in all subjects. The percentage of H-reflex amplitude diminution was between 6 and 18 in subjects with weak and strong stimuli and 5 and 6 in subjects with only 9 strong stimuli. Conclusion: We intend to use this paradigm of stimulation to explore whether the vestibulospinal function exists after spinal cord injury (SCI). If it exists, it can be used to influence the preserved spinal cord circuits after SCI. INTRODUCTIONIt has been long known that a small direct current, also called galvanic current, applied between mastoids produces an inclination of the standing person. 1 Several researchers have studied the electromyographic (EMG) responses occurring in response to galvanic stimulation of postural muscles in healthy subjects. They used a 1-or 4-to 6 -s duration, 1-4-mA intensity stimulus. 2,3 If averaging of the EMG activity was necessary, they used stimuli of shorter duration. [4][5][6] There is general agreement that anodal stimulation causes hypotonia and cathodal stimulation causes hypertonia of the ipsilateral postural muscles. The effect of galvanic current is also influenced by head and body posture, 7 as well as postural task. 8 In squirrel monkeys, it was demonstrated that the galvanic stimulation acted directly on the vestibular afferents (from semicircular canals, as well as otoliths): cathodal current increased the firing rate (causing hypertonia) and anodal current decreased the firing rate (causing hypotonia of the muscles). 9 More recently, 10-13 the electrical-induced analog of the monosynaptic reflex called the H-reflex has been used in assessment of the modulation of the monosynaptic activity at the spinal cord level.If a short-lasting electrical stimulus is applied to the tibial nerve within the popliteal fossa, motor and sensory fibers are stimulated simultaneously. The stimulation of motor fibers results in a muscle twitch of the soleus muscle, which can be demonstrated by means of bipolar superficial electrodes placed over the corresponding muscle be...