Effects of rehabilitation treatment of the upper limb in multiple sclerosis patients and predictive value of neurophysiological measures.

Background: Dysfunctions of the upper limbs occur in the 66% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To date, no data, about the persistence of the effects of a rehabilitation treatment and no prognostic markers of functional improvement, have been established.

Aim: The aim of this study was to define clinical data supporting the efficacy of a rehabilitation treatment in MS patients with upper limb impairment and to find prognostic factors for functional improvement.

Focal Mechanical Vibration Does not Change Laser-Pain Perception and Laser-Evoked Potentials: A Pilot Study.

Background: Nonpainful tactile and electrical stimulation of the large myelinated fibers reduces spontaneous pain and the amplitude of laser-evoked potentials (LEPs), which represent the most reliable technique to assess the nociceptive pathway function. Focal mechanical vibration stimulates the Aβ afferents selectively; thus, it is conceivable its action on nociceptive pathways.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vibratory stimuli, activating either both muscle and skin receptors or cutaneous afferents only on the LEPs and subjective laser-pain rating.

Abdominal acupuncture reduces laser-evoked potentials in healthy subjects.

Objective: Acupuncture is known to reduce clinical pain, although the exact mechanism is unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on laser-evoked potential amplitudes and laser pain perception.

Methods: In order to evaluate whether abdominal acupuncture is able to modify pain perception, 10 healthy subjects underwent a protocol in which laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) and laser pain perception were collected before the test (baseline), during abdominal acupuncture, and 15 min after needle removal.

Ultrasound assessment of sural nerve in Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A neuropathy.

Objective: Nerve ultrasound (US) has been used to study peripheral nerve disease, and increase of the cross-sectional area (CSA) has been described in demyelinating polyneuropathy. The objective of the current study is to characterise the US features of the sural nerve in a sample of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) 1A patients.

Methods: A total of 20 CMT1A patients were enrolled.

Focal muscle vibration in the treatment of upper limb spasticity: a pilot randomized controlled trial in patients with chronic stroke.

Objective: To examine the clinical effect of repetitive focal muscle vibration (rMV) on the motor function of the upper extremity 1 month after treatment in patients with chronic stroke.

Design: We performed a pilot randomized controlled trial using a double-blind, parallel-group study design.

Setting: Medical center.