[The reflex on shortening (the Westphal phenomenon) in deforming muscular (torsion) dystrophy]

By the aid of an objective test the authors studied the reflex to a shortening (the Westphal phenomenon) which is a typical symptom of deforming muscular dystrophy, reflecting disorders of the muscular tone. It was demonstrated that prior to a development of a muscular spasm there were changes of the muscular activity due to an integration of excitation. It is being supposed that muscular spasms and dystonic hyperkinesis are generated on a spinal level. A disappearance of the Westphal phenomenon following operations on the basal ganglia, may indicate to the fact that the leading role in the genesis of this phenomenon belongs not only to the segmentary spinal apparatus, but to the supraspinal influence from the stem-subcortical brain structure.