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The pterygoid reflex in man and its clinical application
H C Hopf1, J Ellrich, H Hundemer
1Neurologische Universitätsklinik, University of Mainz, Germany.
Muscle & Nerve
|November 1, 1992
Summary
A new technique effectively records the medial pterygoid muscle stretch reflex (PterR). PterR testing aids in precisely locating brainstem lesions, offering insights into trigeminal pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- The medial pterygoid muscle's stretch reflex (PterR) is crucial for understanding masticatory muscle function.
- Accurate assessment of brainstem lesions requires precise localization techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel technique for eliciting and recording the PterR.
- To evaluate the clinical utility of PterR in localizing brainstem lesions.
Main Methods:
- Developed and applied a technique to measure PterR latency in healthy volunteers.
- Compared PterR latency with masseter reflex latency.
- Observed PterR in patients with documented small brainstem lesions.
Main Results:
- Established normal PterR latency at 6.9 ± 0.43 ms in 23 healthy adults.
- Found PterR latencies slightly shorter than masseter reflexes.
- Identified potential clustering of PterR afferent neurons in the caudal trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus.
Conclusions:
- The described technique reliably measures PterR.
- Combined assessment of masseter and pterygoid reflexes enhances the localization accuracy of ponto-mesencephalic lesions.