title: Soleus H-reflex recruitment is not altered in persons with chronic spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with elevated monosynaptic reflex excitability.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-way experimental.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of 9 subjects (8 men, 1 woman) with chronic and complete SCI and 20 persons (14 men, 6 women) with no neurologic impairment. Subjects with SCI exhibited lower-extremity spasticity as indicated by velocity-dependent increased resistance to passive muscle stretch, abnormally brisk deep tendon reflexes, involuntary lower-extremity flexion and/or extension spasms, and clonus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Soleus H-reflex recruitment curves were elicited in all subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Soleus H-reflex threshold (HTH), gain (HGN), and amplitude (HPP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between subjects with and without SCI in HTH, HGN, or HPP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spasticity in people with chronic and complete SCI was not associated with increased excitability of the connections between Ia afferent projections and motoneurons. Factors extrinsic to these connections may have a role in spasticity caused by SCI.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. s-schindler-ivens@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Sheila M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schindler-Ivens
authors.forename: Richard K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Shields
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D011999:Recruitment, Neurophysiological / Q000502:physiology*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*