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A stereotaxic lesion presumably localized in the ventrolateral part of the dentate nucleus in cases of spasticity and hyperkinesia is able to reduce obviously the spasticity and to a lesser degree the involuntary movements on the ipsilateral side. EMG examinations before and after the operation have confirmed the clinical impression. No complications have been seen if the lesion is localized ventrolaterally. Postoperative cerebellar dysfunction was not seen and this was proved by means of a test of precision and speed of arm movement. EEG studies showed no changes of the pre-operative activity after the operation. During the operation, a slow fluctuation in the parietal and temporal region on the opposite side was observed at the time of the electrical stimulation of the dentate nucleus. Clinically, this electrical stimulation was accompanied by ipsilateral motor tonic effects which are all the more distal as the electrode is in-serted deeper. The authors suggest that the ventrolateral part of the dentate nucleus is the best target for the surgical therapy of cerebral palsy where thalamotomy would fail and in cases of spasticity where thalamotomy is of no use. Moreover, the absence of complications whenever the lesion is well placed, both with unilateral and bilateral operation, permits more effective action than thalamotomy, where bilateral lesions always present complication problems that have not been solved.

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