Excitability relationships between lower limb myotatic arcs in spasticity. 1978

P J Delwaide, and M Cordonnier, and M Gadea-Ciria

The excitability of a lower limb myotatic reflex arc is modulated by the antecedent activation of another myotatic arc in the same limb; the changes can be represented by heteronymous excitability curves. This work compares heteronymous excitability curves in spastic and normal subjects. Eighteen patients who showed clear signs of pyramidal tract lesions at a chronic stage were studied. Three myotatic arcs of the lower limb (soleus, quadriceps, and short biceps) were activated either by mechanical percussion (T Sol-T Quad-TSBi) or by electrical stimulation of the afferent nerve (H Sol-H Quad). They were used as conditioning and test responses in six different combinations, and the results compared to those obtained previously in normal volunteers. In spastic patients, heteronymous excitability curves are more obviously modified than homonymous ones. The changes are most prominent in the thigh muscles and less marked when the soleus reflex is conditioned by activation of quadriceps and biceps femoris myotatic reflex arcs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009128 Muscle Spasticity A form of muscle hypertonia associated with upper MOTOR NEURON DISEASE. Resistance to passive stretch of a spastic muscle results in minimal initial resistance (a "free interval") followed by an incremental increase in muscle tone. Tone increases in proportion to the velocity of stretch. Spasticity is usually accompanied by HYPERREFLEXIA and variable degrees of MUSCLE WEAKNESS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p54) Clasp-Knife Spasticity,Spastic,Clasp Knife Spasticity,Spasticity, Clasp-Knife,Spasticity, Muscle
D009132 Muscles Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals. Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D012018 Reflex An involuntary movement or exercise of function in a part, excited in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the brain or spinal cord.
D012023 Reflex, Monosynaptic A reflex in which the AFFERENT NEURONS synapse directly on the EFFERENT NEURONS, without any INTERCALATED NEURONS. (Lockard, Desk Reference for Neuroscience, 2nd ed.) Monosynaptic Reflex
D012026 Reflex, Stretch Reflex contraction of a muscle in response to stretching, which stimulates muscle proprioceptors. Reflex, Tendon,Stretch Reflex,Tendon Reflex
D002493 Central Nervous System Diseases Diseases of any component of the brain (including the cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, brain stem, and cerebellum) or the spinal cord. CNS Disease,Central Nervous System Disease,Central Nervous System Disorder,CNS Diseases,Central Nervous System Disorders
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D004594 Electrophysiology The study of the generation and behavior of electrical charges in living organisms particularly the nervous system and the effects of electricity on living organisms.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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