Objective To explore factors related to the development of segmental instabilities in lumbar spine. Methods Fifty-seven patients with lumbar segment instabilities at L 4～5 were selected as illness group, 22 patients with facetectomy at L 4～5 as post-operation control group, and 19 healthy subjects as normal control. X-ray plain films were taken in sagittal,flexion and extension positions. Computed tomographic scans were taken to define the axial morphology of the facet joint. Magnetic resonance scans were taken to describe disc degeneration of 36 patients in illness group. Results The facet joint was oriented sagittally in the forward translation patients in flexion. The disc degeneration was slight in the rotational instability patients. The patients with total facetectomy exited forward translation in flexion. Conclusion A more sagittally oriented facet and disc degeneration are associated with forward translation in flexion and may be the cause of degenerative spondylolisthesis, whereas ligament failure is associated with rotational instability.

Objective To evaluate the effect of injecting botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) to the external urethral sphincter on detrusor wall thickness (DWT) and the bladder function of spinal cord injury patients with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD).Methods Twenty-one adult patients with DSD due to spinal cord injury were recruited.A single 100 IU dose of botulinum toxin A was injected into their external urethral sphincters via an uhrasound-guided transperineal route.DWT,detrusor leak-point pressure (DLPP),post-void residual volume (PRV) and maximum bladder capacity(MBC) were assessed by urodynamic examination and ultrasound evaluation before and 4 and 8 weeks after the injection.Results Four weeks later a significant decrease in PRV was observed,but no significant difference in DWT,DLPP or MBC.After eight weeks the mean DWT value had decreased by 17％,a significant reduction.There were also significant improvements in DLPP,PRV and MBC at eight weeks compared with the of baseline values.Conclusions BTX-A injection to the external urethral sphincter can reduce DWT and improve bladder function in spinal cord injury patients with DSD.

Objective To evaluate the effect of the transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper-extremity function rehabilitation and changes in the excitability of cerebral cortex,and to evaluate from the viewpoint of electro-physiology the prognosis so as to guide the rehabilitation treatment of patients after stroke.Methods Forty-six patients in the early stage after a stroke were given TMS examinations of the ipsilateral brain region.Those with the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) amplitudes lower than 50 μV were classified into a motion-induced experimental negative group (the negative group),whiie those whose MEP amplitude reached 50 μV or more were classified as movement-induced positive (the positive group).Both groups were given the same treatment.Before and after 2,4 and 8 weeks of treatment the Fugl-Meyer movement function rating scale was used to assess their bilateral upper limb movement function.TMS technology was used to detect any change in the resting motor threshold (RMT) and the amplitude (Amp) of MEPs in the motor cortex.The incubation period of the cortex (CL) and the central motor conduction time (CMCT) in the contralateral motor cerebral cortex were also observed.Results After 4 weeks of treatment,the average score of the positive group on Fugl-Meyer upper movement function rating scale reached (54.99±2.76),significantly higher than before treatment and significantly higher than the negative group's average (P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the average score in the positive group had increased further to 73.11±2.98,still significantly higher than that of the negative group (P＜0.01).After treatment,RMT decreased progressively in both groups,but that of the negative group dropped from (98.35±10.12) to (30.35±7.31) (9＜0.01),with significantly greater decline in amplitude and rate than that of the positive group (P＜0.05).After treatment,the Amp of both groups showed a gradual increasing trend.Amp increased earlier in the positive group,but there was no significant difference in the extent of the increase between the two groups (P＞0.05).After the treatment the CL and CMCT had shortened significantly in the negative group compared to before the treatment (P＜0.05),while there was no significant change in CL and CMCT after the treatment (P＞0.05).Conclusions The excitability of the contralateral motor cortex changes after a stroke.TMS can be used to characterize the MEP to monitor and predict recovery.This should help clinicians prepare more scientific rehabilitation plans.

Objective To research the clinical rehabilitative effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.Methods Fifty-five PD patients were randomly divided into an rTMS treatment group (n =29) and a sham stimulation group (n =26).The treatment group received a course of 0.5 Hz rTMS treatment,while the sham stimulation group had the same treatment but with no energy output.Both groups were evaluated using a non-motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSQuest),the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD),the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS),the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the scale for outcomes in PD for autonomic symptoms (SCOPA-AUT) before treatment,immediately after,and a month after treatment.Results Compared with before treatment,the average NMSQuest score of the treatment group declined significantly,though 1 month after treatment the improvement was no longer significant.After treatment and 1 month later the average NMSQuest score of the sham stimulation group increased gradually.The effect in the treatment group was therefore significantly better than in the sham stimulation group.After treatment and 1 month later the average HAMD score of the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment while the average HAMD score of the sham stimulation group had increased gradually.The improvement in depression in the treatment group was therefore significantly better than in the sham stimulation group.After treatment,sleep disorders in the treatment group had been significantly alleviated,but one month later the improvement was no longer significant compared with before treatment.PDSS scores in the sham stimulation group declined gradually,but the improvement in sleep disorders among the treatment group was significantly better than among the sham stimulation group.Cognition improved significantly among the treatment group right after treatment,but 1 month later it had worsened while the MMSE scores of the sham stimulation group decreased gradually.The difference between the two groups was statistically significant.The average SCOPA-AUT scores of the two groups were not significantly different from each other or from the scores before treatment.Conclusion Repeated TMS can improve most non-motor symptoms of PD.The improvement in depression is the most significant.A short course of rTMS has no obvious rehabilitative effect on the autonomic function disorders of PD patients.

Objective To determine any relationship among detrusor wall thickness (DWT),bladder capacity (BC) and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD),and to study the clinical implications of using DWT to predict the risk of renal injury after spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods Forty-eight adults with NLUTD due to SCI were recruited for the SCI group,and another 41 healthy adults formed a control group.Both groups underwent urodynamic evaluation and maximum bladder capacity (MBC) detection.The DWT of all subjects was measured by ultrasound imaging of the anterior bladder wall.Thereafter,the SCI group was divided into low and high risk subgroups based on the results of the urodynamic tests.Patients with detrusor leak point pressure ＜40 cmH2O were classified as low risk.Results At MBC,the average DWT in the SCI group was (0.97 ± 0.31)mm and (0.59 ± 0.08)mm in the control group,demonstrating a significant difference in DWT between patients with NLUTD and normal adults.The average DWT among the patients with type A detrusor sphincter dyssynergia was (1.10 ± 0.34)mm,which was significantly higher than among the patients with external urethral sphincter contraction without detrusor contraction (type C).DWT was significantly correlated with detrusor leak point pressure.A DWT of 0.87 mm (sensitivity 89.5％,specificity 58.6％) could be used as a critical point for predicting risk of renal injury in patients with NLUTD.Conclusions DWT is significantly greater among SCI patients with NLUTD and it correlates positively with detrusor leak point pressure.DWT could be used as a risk predictor for renal injury in patients with NLUTD due to SCI.

Objective To evaluate the application of cough reflex testing with various concentrations of citric acid for dysphagia post stroke. Methods 20 normal controls (NC), 20 stroke patients with dysphagia (SD) and 20 stroke patients without dysphagia (SND) were tested with cough reflex inhalated 4 kinds of dosage of citric acid: 0.2 mol/L, 0.4 mol/L, 0.6 mol/L and 0.8 mol/L. Results The incidence of pass (coughed twice or more) decreased in the SD compared with those in the NC as inhalated citric acid of 0.2 mol/L and 0.4 mol/L (P< 0.05), and decreased under 0.4 mol/L compared with the SND (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the SND and the NC (P>0.05). 90% of the NC passed as inhalated citric acid of 0.4 mol/L; however, it was 45% in the SD, and increased when they inhalated more dosage of citric acid (P<0.05). The incidence of pass decreased under 0.2 mol/L citric acid in the SND compared with other concentration (P<0.05). The result of the test was reliable interrater (κ=0.97). The incidence of cough was consistent of 96.8% with the same concentration. No asthma and asphyxia was observed. Conclusion Cough reflex testing with citric acid inhalation can be used to assess the defensive function of airway in lower concentration for dysphagia after stroke.