The quantitative assessment of the influence of spinal cord stimulation on motor function in patients with multiple...

This paper gives the results of quantitative measurements of motor function made in a group of 23 patients receiving spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for multiple sclerosis. Although 14 out of the 23 patients reported subjective improvement in motor function and many felt these improvements were significant to them, only 4 patients showed an improvement in pyramidal function, only 1 in cerebellar function. There was no statistically significant improvement in walking speed. It is concluded that SCS does not have a major impact upon motor disability in multiple sclerosis and bladder dysfunction remains the main indication for SCS.