AUTHOR=Cai Qiong , Xu Wenxiao , Liao Songjie , Liang Yinxing , Wu Chao , Li Xunhua 

TITLE=Clinical and Physiological Significance of F-Wave in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.571341

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2020.571341

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> To evaluate the characteristics of F-wave in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) patients and preclinical carriers of SCA3 gene mutation (PreSCA3), and explore the relationship between disease severity and F-wave parameters and evaluate F-wave parameters as potential biomarkers for monitoring of disease progression in SCA3.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We performed F-wave recordings in median, ulnar and tibial nerves of 39 SCA3 patients, 20 PreSCA3, and 27 healthy controls, and compared F-wave parameters between them.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> In all nerves studied, the mean F-wave amplitude, maximum F-wave amplitude, and F/M amplitude ratio were significantly increased in the SCA3 patients in comparison with the normal controls. And the minimal F-wave latency of SCA3 patients was significantly prolonged and the F-wave persistence (%) was significantly decreased in the median nerve. For the PreSCA3, the maximum F-wave amplitude was significantly higher than normal controls for both median, ulnar, and tibial nerves. The mean F-wave amplitude and F/M amplitude ratio in all nerves were comparable between PreSCA3 and normal controls. The frequency of giant F-wave and frequency of patients with giant F-wave were similar between PreSCA3 and SCA3. The values of F/M amplitude ratio in both median, ulnar, and tibial nerves were correlated positively with disease severity and disease duration.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Significant F-wave abnormalities occur in patients with SCA3, even in PreSCA3. F-wave may therefore reveal subclinical alterations and provide objective parameters for evaluating the progression of SCA3.</p>