[The orbicularis oculi reflex. Electrophysiological results and habituation]

The electrically, by stimulation of the supraorbital nerve elicited blink reflex has been used as a diagnostic procedure in various neurological diseases. For avoiding false positive or negative interpretations of measurements, methodology and statistical treatment of normal values is of basic importance. This paper summarizes the results of investigations in 51 healthy volunteers and presents a detailed statistical treatment. New findings are presented concerning the reflex parameters under different stimulus conditions. Some characteristic features of habituation, known from animal experiments, could be demonstrated for the first time at the human orbicularis oculi reflex.