Premium
Neurophysiologic evaluation of lower motor neuron damage in tetraplegia
Author(s) -
Gorman Peter H.,
Kikta Donald G.,
Peckham P. Hunter
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199810)21:10<1321::aid-mus12>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - biceps , tetraplegia , electromyography , lower motor neuron , motor neuron , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , wrist , motor unit , upper motor neuron , spinal cord injury , spinal cord , anatomy , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , disease , psychiatry
We quantitatively investigated the extent of damage to motor neurons in tetraplegic subjects. Numbers of motor units in the patients were significantly lower for thenar, wrist extensor, and biceps brachii as compared to controls. Reduction in counts occurred even when M‐response amplitudes were normal. Standard electromyography suggested a surprising frequency of lower motor neuron dysfunction below the level of injury. These results confirm previous reports and add data on motor units in the biceps brachii. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 21:1321–1323, 1998.