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Updated: May 21, 2026
Standing Neurophysiological Assessment of Lower Extremity Muscles Post-Stroke
Published on: July 26, 2021
Somatosensory evoked potentials of hand muscles in stroke and their modification by botulinum toxin: a preliminary
Aynur Basaran1, Ufuk Emre, Kiymet Ikbal Karadavut
1Konya Beyhekim State Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Yazir, Selcuklu TR-42250 Konya, Turkey. aynurbasaran@hotmail.com
Objective:
To determine the effect of botulinum toxin A on spasticity and somatosensory evoked potentials of hand muscles in patients who have undergone cerebrovascular accident.
Design:
Preliminary, prospective, before-after study design.
Patients:
Six subjects prospectively followed after application of botulinum toxin A in the rehabilitation department of a university hospital.
Methods:
All patients underwent botulinum toxin A injection to the upper extremity muscles in varying combinations and carried out a home-based exercise programme. Primary outcome measure was median somatosensory evoked potential of hand muscles (N20). Secondary outcome measures were: spasticity assessed clinically by Modified Ashworth Scales (MAS); functional ability analysis assessed by Physician's Rating Scale (PRS); and functional difficulties reported by patients or their care-givers by patient disability and care-giver burden rating scale (PD & CBRS).
Results:
MAS, PRS and PD & CBRS improved with botulinum toxin A treatment. In the affected limb, N20 potentials were impaired compared with those in the unaffected side. With botulinum toxin A treatment, although improvement in overall N20-P25 amplitudes was significant, as a result of limited sample size, post hoc pair-wise comparisons with Bonferroni correction failed to yield any significant pairs.
Conclusion:
The improvement in the median somatosensory evoked potentials following botulinum toxin A treatment suggests that central somatosensory patterns in hemiplegia can be modified by peripheral inputs.
