[Central and peripheral nervous system motor conduction rate in HIV infection]

In order to assess the central motor pathways of HIV-infected patients motor evoked potentials were recorded on the upper limbs after transcranial and cervical magnetic stimulations and compared with peripheral conduction velocities. Motor evoked potentials were measured on both sides of 28 patients, mostly at the AIDS stage. Our results showed that although peripheral neuropathy was often found, central motor pathways did not appear, at the level they were tested, to be directly or indirectly damaged by the virus. On the contrary, some hyperexcitability seemed to be present.