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A normative study on human facial F waves
Author(s) -
Wedekind Christoph,
Stauten Werner,
Klug Norfrid
Publication year - 2001
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/mus.1087
Subject(s) - f wave , amplitude , nerve conduction velocity , standard deviation , physics , audiology , electrophysiology , anatomy , acoustics , mathematics , medicine , optics , statistics
F waves from the nasalis muscle were obtained bilaterally after transcutaneous constant‐current stimulation of the facial nerve in 37 of 42 (88%) healthy volunteers examined. F waves were of varying shape and latency. Standard parameters (latencies, amplitudes, ratios, chronodispersion) of F‐wave analysis were assessed. Of these, minimum and mean F‐wave latencies, the F ratio, and F‐wave and peripheral conduction times (PCT) were approximately normally distributed, with a low standard deviation. Latencies and conduction times exhibited a significantly positive correlation with body height, as has been demonstrated for the F‐wave latencies in limb muscles. Side and sex differences were present but without statistical significance. Chronodispersion and chronodispersion range, F‐wave amplitudes, and F‐wave frequencies were broadly scattered. It is concluded that F‐wave latencies and conduction times are best suited to define a range of reference values. Moreover, facial F waves bear characteristics similar to those described for F waves recorded from limb muscles. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 24: 900–904, 2001