Corneal reflex and blink reflex changes in thalamic hemorrhage.

We studied the corneal reflex (CR) with air-puff and direct touch by using a standardized method in patients with thalamic hemorrhage (TH) (n: 15) and in normal control subjects (n: 21). The conventional blink reflex (BR) was also studied. In the TH group: 1--When the cornea on the clinically nonaffected side was stimulated the corneal reflex responses were elicited bilaterally, with normal latency on the clinically normal side and delayed on the affected side. 2--When the cornea on the clinically affected side was stimulated, the corneal responses on both sides were either abnormal or could not be elicited. 3--The ipsilateral R1 and R2 responses recorded by stimulation of the supraorbital nerve on the clinically affected side were abnormal where the contralateral R2 responses were in the normal range. In the normal control and TH groups: 1--No statistical difference could be detected between the responses elicited by air-puff or direct touch to cornea (p > 0.05). 2--CR responses were statistically different from the R2 response of the BR (p < 0.005).