Objective: To assess the brainstem function with different variations of blink reflex studies in Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Although PD presents principally as a movement disorder, involvement of brainstem nuclei such as the dorsal nucleus of the vagal nerve (VN) is well established. Brainstem function can be assessed by recording blink reflexes (BR) to electric stimuli of different peripheral nerves. Assessment of neurophysiological VN function may be performed, in part, following electrical stimulation of the auricular branch of the VN (ABVN).

Methods: Blink reflexes evoked by electrical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve (TN), the median nerve (MN) and the ABVN were investigated in 30 patients with PD (age 63±9, 13 females, disease duration 7±4 years, UPDRS III 20±8) and compared with recordings in 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (age 62±12, 13 females). Latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes were assessed.

Results: ABVN-BR could be elicited in 26 patients and controls each, the MN-BR in 22 and 24, respectively and the TN-BR in all patients and controls. However, neither latencies nor peak-to-peak-amplitudes differed between patients and controls.

Conclusions: We conclude that assessment of ABVN-BR is possible, but not always reliable in PD patients as well as healthy controls, similar to MN-BR reliability. The present study suggests that brainstem and VN dysfunction may not be identified by variants of BR studies.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/assessment-of-brainstem-function-with-blink-reflex-variations-in-parkinsons-disease/