[Pudendo-anal reflex in normal women].
The pudendo-anal reflex was studied in a sample of 31 normal women. Responses were obtained after bilateral independent stimulation of the clitoris, with surface recordings from both sides of the external anal sphincter. Responses were elicited with double-pulses of 0.2 ms duration with a interstimulus interval of 5 ms, frequency of stimulation was lower than 0.5 Hz. A minimal of four responses were recorded after supramaximal stimulation. In one volunteer no response was recorded after unilateral stimulation. Latencies of the responses from the right and left sides of the anal sfincter after right and left stimulation were 36.35+/-6.37, 36.28+/-6.23, 35.88+/-4.68, 36.44+/-4.45 ms, respectively. No relation was detected between latencies and age, body mass index and parity (considering either total parity or vaginal delivery only). In 12% of the recordings uncertainty was introduced in the latency measurements related to a poor signal-noise ratio.
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Geraldo de Aguiar
Gde A
Cavalcanti
Gilberto Mastrocola
GM
Manzano
Homero
H
Bruschini
Lydia Maria
LM
Giuliano
Miguel
M
Srougi
João Antônio Maciel
JA
Nóbrega
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*