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Cortical mechanisms mediating asterixis
Author(s) -
Artieda J.,
Muruzabal J.,
Larumbe R.,
de Casasola C. García,
Obeso José A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.870070304
Subject(s) - somatosensory evoked potential , electromyography , somatosensory system , median nerve , electroencephalography , medicine , forearm , cortex (anatomy) , neuroscience , psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anatomy
We describe a patient with chronic renal failure who suffered multifocal action‐induced jerks. Electromyography (EMG) recorded the typical silence of asterixis. Back‐averaging the EEG activity preceding the EMG silent periods in the forearm showed a biphasic wave antedating the asterixis by 23 ms. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) after median nerve stimulation were pathologically enlarged on both hemispheres. Brain‐mapping of the biphasic wave preceding asterixis and the giant SEPs indicated a common origin in the sensorimotor cortex. This observation provides further documentation of a cortical origin for some types of asterixis in humans.