[Pathophysiology of spinal shock in man according to the results of stimulation electromyography]

Electromyography was made in 5 patients with a clinical picture of spinal shock. Within the first 4 days of the disease the disappearance of T potential of the soleus muscle was accompanied by the decreased amplitude of its H reflex, the enhancement of the phenomenon of H reflex depression upon low-frequency stimulation and predominance of the reflex component in the central response of the medial muscles of the foot sole. During weeks 4 and 8 of the spinal shock, there disappeared not only T potential but also H reflex of the soleus muscle and the central response of the foot muscles. It is concluded that during acute total disconnection of the descending control there is a successive loss of the functions of gamma-motoneurons, interneurones that mediate the segmental (probably, presynaptic) inhibition, and of alpha-motoneurons.