Article Text

Download PDFPDF
H reflex studies in patients with Parkinson's disease
  1. J. G. McLeod,
  2. J. C. Walsh
  1. Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, New South Wales
  2. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales

    Abstract

    The H reflex was studied in 13 patients with Parkinson's disease, and the results compared with those obtained in 22 control subjects. Pairs of identical stimuli near threshold intensity were delivered and the unresponsive period and time course of recovery of the amplitude of the H reflex were determined. The duration of the unresponsive period was significantly shorter in the patients with Parkinson's disease. In 10 patients the studies were repeated after treatment with l-dopa for six months. There was a significant increase in the period of unresponsiveness of the H reflex after treatment. The findings suggest that there is an increase in alpha motoneurone excitability in Parkinson's disease, and that it is reduced by treatment with l-dopa.

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.