SOLEUS H-REFLEX TESTS IN DYSTONIA

Citation
Jhtm. Koelman et al., SOLEUS H-REFLEX TESTS IN DYSTONIA, Movement disorders, 10(1), 1995, pp. 44-50
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Clinical Neurology
Journal title
ISSN journal
08853185
Volume
10
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Pages
44 - 50
Database
ISI
SICI code
0885-3185(1995)10:1<44:SHTID>2.0.ZU;2-U
Abstract
Vibratory inhibition, the homonymous recovery curve and the ratio of t he maximal H-reflex to direct muscle potential (H/M ratio) of the sole us H-reflex were assessed in 10 patients with leg dystonia and in six patients with arm or neck dystonia. The results were compared with tho se obtained in 48 healthy control subjects. H-reflex variables most he lpful for the discrimination of patients and healthy subjects were ide ntified. In patients with leg dystonia, vibratory inhibition was less marked than in control subjects, whereas late facilitation of the reco very curve was increased. In patients with leg dystonia, area values o f test reflexes in the late facilitatory phase of the recovery curve e xceeded peak-peak values, in contrast to findings in control subjects. This finding may be attributable to less synchronization of enhanced test reflexes in dystonia than in the control condition. In differenti ating patients with leg dystonia from control subjects, a combination of parameters of vibratory inhibition and the late facilitatory phase of the recovery curve appeared most useful. In patients with arm or ne ck dystonia and in the unaffected legs of hemidystonic patients, soleu s H-reflex test results were in the normal range. Abnormalities in the results of the soleus H-reflex tests we used appear to be related to the presence of clinical signs in the extremity under examination and not to the severity of features.