Central motor conduction time in patients with periventricular lucencies

Central motor conduction time and regional cerebral blood flow were measured before and 20 min after intravenous injection of 17 mg/kg acetazolamide in 10 patients with periventricular lucencies (PVL) and 10 age-matched healthy controls. Central motor conduction time was measured using a magnetic stimulator and regional cerebral blood flow was measured by stable xenon computed tomography method. The central motor conduction time was significantly longer in the patients with PVL than in the healthy controls and was shortened significantly by the intravenous injection of acetazolamide in the patients with PVL. The blood flow not only in the periventricular white matter but also in the cerebral cortex and the cerebral white matter was significantly lower in the patients with PVL than in the healthy controls. The intravenous injection of acetazolamide increased significantly the regional cerebral blood flow except in the PVL areas. The prolongation of the central motor conduction time may be at least partly related with decreased blood flow in the cerebral cortex and cerebral white matter.