Spastic Paraplegias Due to Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Disorders

Abstract

Spinal cord disorders are induced by diseases of various categories: infectious, inflamma - tory, degenerative, genetic, traumatic, and so on. These diseases involve spastic paraple gia or tetraplegia, abnormal sensation, bladder and anal dysfunction, etc. This chapter describes the medical etiologies and treatments for spastic paraplegias. I will mention diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of spastic paraplegias due to non-traumatic spinal cord disorders. I will describe my cases who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM), and multiple sclerosis (MS). I also investigate the recent therapeutic strategies for spastic para -plegias. Spastic paraplegia is an intractable condition accompanied by many spinal cord disorders. Some therapeutic methods (intrathecal baclofen and botulinum toxin injection) have symptomatic effects. Rehabilitation and some devices are also effective for spasticity.