The acoustic startle reflex in ischemic stroke.
The authors recorded the acoustic startle response in 32 patients with stroke, 6 patients with incomplete cervical cord lesions, and 26 controls. Increased startle occurred in about one quarter of both stroke and spinal cord injury patients. The response in biceps demonstrated the greatest deviation from normal, with less marked changes in tibialis anterior. Increased startle in spinal cord injury suggests that changes at the segmental level may contribute. Symptomatic increased startle occurred only in pontine lesions.
Jankelowitz
S K
SK
Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Colebatch
J G
JG
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D009333:Neck; D011149:Pons / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*