Cerebellar stimulation in acute cerebellar ataxia

Objectives: To report follow-up studies of cerebellar stimulation in patients with acute cerebellar ataxia (ACA). Methods: We studied two patients with ACA. One patient also had decreased deep sensations in the feet due to combined diseases such as diabetic polyneuropathy and lumbosacral radiculopathies. We applied the technique of electrical stimulation over the cerebellum which was reported previously (Ugawa et al., J Physiol 441 (1991a) 57). Results: Conditioning stimulation over the cerebellum did not reduce the size of motor-evoked potentials to test magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex at conditioning-test intervals of 5, 6, and 7 ms in the acute stage in both patients. However, normal suppression was recognized in the recovery stage in both patients. Conclusions: This technique was useful for follow-up evaluation of cerebellar function in patients with ACA and was also useful for distinguishing cerebellar ataxia from sensory ataxia in a patient with combined diseases. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.