H-reflex recovery curve and reciprocal inhibition of H-reflex in different kinds of dystonia

Neurology. 1990 May;40(5):824-8. doi: 10.1212/wnl.40.5.824.

Abstract

We studied the H-reflex recovery curve and reciprocal inhibition of the H-reflex bilaterally in the upper limb of 5 patients with generalized dystonia, 5 patients with blepharospasm, 10 patients with spasmodic torticollis, and 14 patients with writer's cramp. We compared the results with those obtained from a group of healthy volunteers. The recovery curve of the H-reflex was normal in patients with writer's cramp or blepharospasm, but showed an increase of the physiologic recovery at a 200 msec delay in patients with spasmodic torticollis or generalized dystonia. Reciprocal inhibition of the H-reflex showed a decrease in the amount of inhibition in all the patient groups and a facilitation of the H-reflex during the 3rd period of inhibition in the patients with spasmodic torticollis or generalized dystonia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Dystonia / physiopathology*
  • Forearm / physiopathology
  • H-Reflex / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Reflex, Monosynaptic / physiology*