Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

New observations on the normal auditory startle reflex in man.

P Brown1, J C Rothwell, P D Thompson

  • 1MRC Human Movement and Balance Unit, Institute of Neurology, London, UK.

Brain : a Journal of Neurology
|August 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

The auditory startle reflex in humans shows a distinct muscle recruitment pattern originating in the brainstem. Early orbicularis oculi activity is a blink reflex, not part of the generalized startle response.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Individual differences in expert motor coordination associated with white matter microstructure in the cerebellum.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2012
Same author

Magnetic field effects on the vestibular system: calculation of the pressure on the cupula due to ionic current-induced Lorentz force.

Physics in medicine and biology·2012
Same author

Short latency intracortical inhibition: one of the most popular tools in human motor neurophysiology.

The Journal of physiology·2008
Same author

Putaminal activity is related to perceptual certainty.

NeuroImage·2008
Same author

De-stabilizing and training effects of foot orthoses in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)·2006
Same author

The neural basis of temporal auditory discrimination.

NeuroImage·2005

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • The auditory startle reflex is a protective mechanism.
  • Understanding its neural pathways is crucial for neurological research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the latency and pattern of muscle recruitment in the human auditory startle response.
  • To differentiate between the auditory blink reflex and the generalized auditory startle reflex.

Main Methods:

  • Electromyography (EMG) was used to record reflex activity in healthy subjects.
  • EMG activity was measured in orbicularis oculi, sternocleidomastoid, and intrinsic hand muscles.

Main Results:

  • Early orbicularis oculi activity exhibited similar latency to the auditory blink reflex and persisted with stimulus repetition.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The latency of muscle recruitment in the startle response increased with the distance from the caudal brainstem.
  • Sternocleidomastoid showed the earliest EMG activity, while intrinsic hand muscles had disproportionately long latencies.

    • Conclusions:

    • The early orbicularis oculi activity represents a normal auditory blink reflex, distinct from the generalized auditory startle reflex.
    • The recruitment pattern of cranial muscles suggests a brainstem origin for the auditory startle response.
    • Findings provide insights into the neural control of the human startle reflex.