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Published on: May 24, 2017
Post-activation depression of the soleus H-reflex in stroke patients
Y Masakado1, Y Kagamihara, O Takahashi
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. masakado@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Purpose:
We examined post-activation depression in 35 stroke patients and 10 healthy subjects, and investigated whether their clinical symptoms were correlated to post-activation depression.
Methods:
Post-activation depression of the soleus H-reflex evoked by electrical stimulation of the common peroneal nerve with supramaximal intensity of motor response on the tibialis anterior muscle.
Results:
Post-activation depression was decreased on the affected side of the stroke patients. There was a significant difference between the affected and unaffected sides of the patients with post-activation depression, but no difference between the unaffected sides of the patients and healthy subjects. The presence of ankle clonus and the decrease in post-activation depression were correlated.
Conclusion:
Decreased post-activation depression in stroke patients suggests that a mechanism other than postsynaptic inhibition, such as reciprocal Ia inhibition and Ib inhibition, and presynaptic inhibition, may contribute to the exaggerated stretch reflexes, in particular, the manifestation of clonus.
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