TO THE EDITOR: For the successful translation of basic research to humans, the adequacy of the animal model being studied is of crucial importance. With respect to the frequently occurring spastic syndrome, as a consequence of brain or spinal cord damage, the spastic rat tail is commonly applied as a model. Animal studies using this model focus on the mechanisms underlying increased neuronal ac...

Several randomised controlled trials [1-4] have shown that botulinum toxin (BoNT) type A and type B reduce muscle tone as measured with the modified Ashworth scale, reduce the frequency of muscle spasms and pain, increase the joints range of motion and improve motor function in patients with muscle spasticity. The duration of benefit is usually 16 weeks and the beneficial effect is often mainta...

Neurorehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury and severe muscle spasticity have always been one the most challenging tasks for neurologists. Muscle significantly impairs patients’ quality life is often resistant to pharmacotherapy. Over last 10 years, intrathecal baclofen therapy has become effective treatment in Russia. In this study, we tried systematize data on complicated by evalu...

Swan neck deformity in patients with cerebral palsy can result from hand intrinsic muscle spasticity or overpull of the digital extensors. After accurate identification of the etiology of the deformity, surgical treatment is directed at correcting the underlying muscle imbalance. Intrinsic lengthening can be used to treat intrinsic muscle spasticity, whereas central slip tenotomy is employed wh...

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) is a neurosurgical procedure currently used as a surgical treatment of children with spasticity in their legs. In SDR, the dorsal roots from L2 to S1 or S2 is partially sectioned. The primary goal of SDR is to reduce spasticity and improve the range of movement with preservation of muscle strength. The dorsal roots involved in spasticity are identified on the ba...

Spasticity, a classical clinical manifestation of an upper motor neuron lesion, has been traditionally and physiologically defined as a velocity dependent increase in muscle tone caused by the increased excitability of the muscle stretch reflex. Clinically spasticity manifests as an increased resistance offered by muscles to passive stretching (lengthening) and is often associated with other co...

INTRODUCTION Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease affecting the myelin sheaths of nerves in the central nervous system. One symptom caused by demyelination and its location is spasticity, a velocity-dependent tightness or resistance to stretch of the muscle. Previous research indicated that spasticity was associated with worse postural sway in persons with MS [1]. However, it is un...

OBJECTIVE To determine what biomechanic characteristics of knee joint motion and walking show potential to quantitatively differentiate spasticity and dystonia in cerebral palsy (CP). DESIGN Descriptive measurement study. SETTING University hospital. PARTICIPANTS Seventeen pediatric and adult patients with CP. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured the resista...

OBJECTIVE Using ultrasonography (US) to guide botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection in patients with post-stroke wrist and finger flexor muscle spasticity and assessing clinical outcomes after the injection and rehabilitation intervention. METHODS Twenty-three patients with wrist and finger spasticity after stroke were recruited in this study from May 2012 to May 2013. Under US guidance, t...