Simulation of the influence of different factors on the motor nerve condition velocity measurement. Part 1: Normal conditions.
The result of a motor nerve conduction velocity measurement is dependent of a row of factors which will influence the measurement. These factors have been tested extensively in healthy volunteers. However, under pathological conditions it is not known to what degree the reported velocities are influenced by biological and technical factors. In an attempt to broaden our knowledge on the matter, a model was made to test different factors under varying conditions. Part I describes the model and reports results from calculations on simulated normal nerves. The results are in concert with results from healthy volunteers. Part II reports on results in pathological conducting nerves. The effect of the different factors affecting the nerve conduction velocities are shown. A simulation of doing a measurement twice and reporting the average showed a marked decrease of the variability in the reported nerve conduction velocity. This was more effective than eliminating any of the other factors influencing the measured conduction velocity.
Larsson
P G
PG
Clinical Neurophysiological Department, National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Norway.
Philipson
L
L
D003198:Computer Simulation; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*