EMG potentials elicited by forehead taps in the sternocleidomastoid muscles and lower leg muscles--a study on patients with vestibular lesions.
The aim of the present study was to determine whether a tap on the forehead evokes a vestibulospinal reflex in the sternocleidomastoid muscles and the lower leg muscles in patients with vestibular lesions. Although first positive-negative short-latency EMG potentials with a mean positive potential peak of about 12.6 ms and a mean negative potential peak of about 17.3 ms were found in the bilateral sternocleidomastoid muscles in normal subjects, they were lacking in patients with vestibular lesions. The first negative short-latency EMG potentials had a mean latency of 48.3 +/- 3.1 ms (onset) to 98.3 +/- 6.3 ms (end) in both gastrocnemius muscles in normal subjects, but they were delayed in patients with vestibular lesions.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
M
M
Iida
H
H
Aihara
H
H
Takahashi
K
K
Hitouji
K
K
Nomura
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005546:Forehead / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*