RECIPROCAL INHIBITION IN FOREARM MUSCLES IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL TREMOR

Reciprocal inhibition of the H-reflex in the forearm flexor muscles wa s studied in 11 patients with essential tremor and in 10 normal contro ls. Whereas patients and controls had a similar first, disynaptic phas e of reciprocal inhibition, patients had a significantly reduced secon d phase. Patients with more severe functional impairment had more pron ounced abnormalities of reciprocal inhibition. Abnormalities of recipr ocal inhibition may play a role in the pathophysiology of essential tr emor and probably arise from defective suprasegmental control. (C) 199 8 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.