Bastian's Law

Bastian's Law (Bastian), the disappearance of tendon reflexes in high spinal cord injury. Injury to the spinal cord above the location of the reflex arc of a given tendon or periosteal reflex usually leads to an increase in this reflex. However, if this injury is total, i.e., affects the entire cross-section of the spinal cord, then both tendon and periosteal reflexes and tone not only do not increase, but disappear. Facts of this kind have been observed for a long time, but they were formulated as a law by Bastian in 1890. Further research showed that Bastian's Law does not have absolute value. On the other hand, it has long been established that high transection of the spinal cord in a dog either does not produce areflexia or produces only a temporary disappearance of reflexes, provided the operation is performed with proper care. In most cases of complete transection of the spinal cord in humans, Bastian's Law still holds true. For pathophysiological explanation of the facts covered by this law, Bastian pointed to Jackson's doctrine of the hypertonic influence of the cerebellum: the loss of cerebellar impulses in spinal cord transection should lead to atony and areflexia. Further reference was made to disturbances of blood and lymph circulation in the underlying areas of the spinal cord, to the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid and damage, due to increased pressure, of the posterior roots, to the effect of toxins, etc. The greatest significance here probably belongs to diaschisis (see) in the sense of Monakow.