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Does ulnar neuropathy predispose to focal dystonia?
Author(s) -
Ross Majorie H.,
Charness Michael E.,
Lee D.,
Logigian Eric L.
Publication year - 1995
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.880180607
Subject(s) - extensor digitorum communis , ulnar neuropathy , dystonia , ulnar nerve , medicine , focal dystonia , peripheral neuropathy , electromyography , little finger , neurological disorder , anatomy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , surgery , central nervous system disease , endocrinology , elbow , index finger , psychiatry , diabetes mellitus
We have observed a high incidence of ulnar neuropathy in musicians with dystonic flexion of the ipsilateral little and ring fingers. To investigate the relationship between ulnar neuropathy and focal dystonia, we compared the patterns of surface EMG activity in extensor digitorum communis (EDC4) and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS4) during tapping of the ring finger in normal controls and patients with ulnar neuropathy or local dystonia. Ten of 10 normal subjects exhibited wellformed alternating EMG bursts in EDC4 and FDS4 separated by clear silent periods. Seven of 7 patients with dystonic flexion of the little and ring fingers showed loss of silent periods between poorly formed bursts in FDS or EDC. Surprisingly, 9 of 10 patients with ulnar neuropathy showed burst pattern abnormalities qualitatively similar to those observed in the dystonic patients. These data suggest that ulnar neuropathy alters the execution of a motor task involving multiple peripheral nerves. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.