[The trigemino-facial reflex in patients with essential blepharospasm. A contribution to the etiology of the disease picture].

We conducted electrophysiological investigations in altogether 11 patients with an essential blepharospasm. In all patients the blink reflex - ipsi- and contralateral - was measured. We found reproducible pathologic changes (direct R1/R2 transition, contralateral early component with and without direct transition into the R2-component, increase of R2-duration). These findings point to a central genesis of blepharospasm in some cases.