Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and blink reflex in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Despite many new developments and studies, multiple Sclerosis (MS) is still difficult to diagnose. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important aid in the patients clinically diagnosed as MS. Functional assessment of the patient’s symptoms increases the importance of neurophysiological methods, especially in cases with negative MRI findings. Impulse conduction in MS as a result of demyelination in the central nervous system fibers changes and delays. In this study, we compared blink reflex (BR) which is a neuropsychological methods with MRI examination. We aimed to determine the relationship between the BR abnormalities and lesion localization and their values in the diagnosis of MS. We studied 21 patients (mean age 33 ± 9 years; 7 men and 14 women) and 33 age-matched healthy subjects (mean age 34 years, 19 females and 14 males). MRI and BR were studied in all the subjects. BR showed abnormalities in 66.7% of patients and these abnormalities were apparent in the brainstem lesion. We conclude that BR, which can be easily and rapidly performed in an EMG laboratory can provide useful and objective information about in particular the brainstem lesions.