Effect of cooling suit treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis evaluated by evoked potentials

The aim of the present study was to determine whether any significant alterations of evoked potentials could be detected after treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis with a cooling suit. All patients had previously experienced a positive effect of this treatment. Six patients were investigated with visual, sensory and motor evoked potentials and six further patients with only motor evoked potentials. All patients had relevant clinical lesions. The mean values for the group of patients were similar before and after cooling, but a few individuals showed a substantial improvement of motor evoked potentials after cooling, with increased amplitude and/or shortened central motor conduction time. There was also a weak, but significant, correlation between temperature decrements and the reduction of central motor conduction time. However, since the central motor conduction times of most patients were only slightly affected, this effect could explain only a small part of the beneficial effect of cooling. Effects on cognition and executive ability or improvement of spasticity may be of greater importance.