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[Facilitation and recovery of the H-reflex in children]
Insights
Children with cerebral palsy exhibit altered H-reflex facilitation and recovery compared to typically developing children. This suggests changes in spinal motoneuron excitability due to central nervous system development and damage.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Clinical Neurology
Context:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) affects motor control.
- H-reflex measures spinal cord excitability.
- Understanding neuroplasticity in CP is crucial.
Purpose:
- To investigate H-reflex facilitation and recovery in children with CP.
- To compare these measures between children with CP and typically developing children.
- To explore implications for central nervous system maturation and damage.
Summary:
- H-reflex responses were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscle in 63 children with CP and 60 controls.
- In controls, H-reflex facilitation and recovery decreased with age.
- Children with CP showed more pronounced H-reflex facilitation and recovery across all age groups.
Impact:
- Findings suggest altered spinal alpha motoneuron excitability and subliminal fringe in CP.
- H-reflex assessment offers valuable insights into supraspinal control of motor function.
- This technique can aid in evaluating neuromuscular regulation in pediatric CP.
Abstract:
Facilitation and recovery of the H-reflex were studied in 63 children with cerebral palsy, and the results were compared with those obtained for 60 normal children. H waves were recorded from the gastrocnemius with surface electrodes, after applying paired stimulations to the tibial nerve in the midpopliteal crease. In normal children, both the facilitation and the recovery showed a tendency to decrease with their development, while those for children with cerebral palsy were more marked than normal children in all age groups. The present study indicated that the excitability of spinal alpha motoneurons and the subliminal fringe in the motoneuron pool might change due to the maturation of and the damage to the central nervous system in children. We consider that H-reflex examination provides useful information for the supraspinal control to the spinal mechanism to regulate muscle contraction in children as well as in adults.