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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
The Preparation of Oblique Spinal Cord Slices for Ventral Root Stimulation
Published on: October 13, 2016
Origin of fasciculations in root lesions
Mamede de Carvalho1, Michael Swash2
1Translational Clinical Physiology Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Neurosciences, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.
Objective:
Fasciculations are occasionally observed in root lesions, but their site of origin is uncertain.
Methods:
We studied the origin of fasciculations (FPs) in consecutive patients with mild chronic L5 root lesions, excluding peripheral nerve lesion. We used a novel technique of double-EMG needle recording, in which each needle was placed in the territory of separate motor units. With this technique the observation of synchronous FPs implies an origin proximal to distal axonal branching.
Results:
FPs were found in 13% of 84 consecutive patients with mild chronic L5 root lesions. In 25% they were synchronous in different motor units.
Conclusions:
We suggest that in mild L5 root lesions most FPs have an origin at distal branches but some FPs originate proximally (25%), possibly at the site of nerve compression.
Significance:
The proximal site of compression and more distal sites may both initiate fasciculation potentials in proximal root lesions.
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