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The silent period produced by electrical stimulation of mixed peripheral nerves
Author(s) -
Leis A. Arturo,
Ross Mark A.,
Emori Takumi,
Matsue Yoshihiko,
Saito Takanori
Publication year - 1991
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.880141211
Subject(s) - stimulation , ulnar nerve , medicine , wrist , anatomy , elbow , median nerve , radial nerve , anesthesia , muscle contraction , electromyography , reflex , physical medicine and rehabilitation
The electromyographic silent period (SP) produced by electrical stimulation of the median and ulnar nerve, before and after lidocaine block of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, was recorded in the voluntarily contracting abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle of 4 normal subjects. Prior to block, stimulation of the corresponding segment in either nerve (e.g., wrist and elbow) elicited SPs with similar end points. With more proximal stimulation, the SPs consistently ended earlier. Following the block, ulnar nerve stimulation below the elbow failed to elicit a SP in any subject, despite a mechanical twitch caused by the antagonistic contraction of adductor pollicis muscle. Ulnar nerve stimulation above the block elicited a SP in all subjects similar to the preblock SP. In all 4 subjects, submaximal median nerve stimulation at the wrist produced an H‐reflex, followed by a SP in the absence of the direct M‐response. This SP, due to selective activation of sensory fibers, lacked a collision component, but, was otherwise similar to the SP elicited by supramaximal wrist stimulation. These findings indicate that the ascending volley following electrical stimulation of a mixed peripheral nerve produces the SP without apparent contribution from the descending motor volley.