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The bulbocavernosus reflex. A single motor neuron study.

D B Vodusek¹, M Janko

¹University Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.

Brain : a Journal of Neurology

|June 1, 1990

Summary

The bulbocavernosus reflex shows low latency variability in some motor neurons, suggesting a simple, oligosynaptic pathway similar to the blink reflex. No habituation was observed during repetitive stimulation.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Physiology

Background:

The bulbocavernosus reflex is crucial for male sexual function.
Understanding its neural pathways, particularly latency variability, is key to neurological assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the reflex latency variability of single motor neuron discharges in the bulbocavernosus reflex.
To explore potential similarities between the bulbocavernosus reflex and other human reflexes, like the blink reflex.

Main Methods:

Electrical stimulation of the dorsal penile nerve.
Recording single motor neuron discharges in the bulbocavernosus muscle using single-fibre EMG.
Analysis of reflex latency and its variability (SD of mean latency).

Main Results:

A subset of motor neurons exhibited lower reflex latency variability (around 500 microseconds) compared to others (above 1000 microseconds).
Shorter latencies correlated with reduced variability.
No habituation of reflex discharges was observed during prolonged, repetitive stimulation.

Conclusions:

The bulbocavernosus reflex pathway, particularly its shortest route, is likely oligosynaptic.
The observed low variability and lack of habituation suggest functional similarities with the first component of the blink reflex.

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