Cutaneous stimulation improves function of a chronic patient with cerebellar damage

Abstract

The prognosis of cerebellar hemorrhage with brain stem compression is known to be poor, and patients who can usually survive are severely disabled with limited benefit from conventional rehabilitation. An innovative cutaneous stimulation was administered to a chronic patient (2 years after the incidence) who has severe ataxia, gait imbalance and limb spasticity caused by cerebellar hemorrhage. After 8 months of intervention, patient's function as evaluated by two functional measures has improved by 40%. In addition, the patient's ataxia and hypotonia have improved significantly in which he has regained the abilities to grasp objects, sit upright, control his equilibrium, and monitor an electric wheelchair. The present case study demonstrated a significant improvement of a chronic severely disabled patient who received the intervention 2 years after the accident, suggesting that the cutaneous stimulation may be a possible effective neurologic intervention.