Motor unit number estimation in cases with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Degenerative or destructive processes result in the loss of whole motor neurons or in the peripheral axon portion. Loss of motor axons or neurons, and conduction blocks, are the basis of the weakness seen in most patients with neurogenic disease. The severity of the clinical deficit is directly associated with the number of the motor neurons or/and axons lost or blocked. So, it is important to find out the number of the functional motor units while evaluating neuromuscular disease. In neurological practice, motor unit number estimation studies are made in many diseases, especially in anterior horn disease. Entrapment neuropathies are one of these diseases. This study utilized motor unit number estimate testing in 50 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and 34 controls without any systemic disease. The authors compared the results of these two groups and found statistical significance ( p < .0001).