title: Study of accessory deep peroneal nerve motor conduction in a population of healthy subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The short extensor muscle of the toes (extensor digitorum brevis) is innervated by the deep peroneal nerve (DPN) but can also receive innervation from an accessory deep peroneal nerve (ADPN), a branch of the superficial peroneal nerve (SPN).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic electrophysiological study of the DPN and ADPN in 200 healthy subjects (400 legs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found the presence of an ADPN in 13.5% of the subjects (8.5% of the legs). On average, ADPN amplitudes and motor potential areas were one-fifth of those for the corresponding DPN. Without this systematic search, most of the ADPN would not have been detected. Comparative study of electrophysiological parameters in patients with and without ADPN showed a significantly higher (P<0.0001) DPN motor potential area ratio (distal/proximal ratio) in subjects without an ADPN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though electrophysiological identification of the ADPN is generally not easy (in simple DPN motor conduction studies), the nerve can sometimes be clinically symptomatic (ankle pain). Evaluation of the DPN motor potential area ratio (distal/proximal ratio) heightens the detection of ADPN.
authors.affiliation: Service de neurologie, CHU de Poitiers, université de Poitiers, 2, rue de milétrie, 86021 Poitiers, France. s.mathis@chu-poitiers.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mathis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ciron
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: du Boisguéheneuc
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Godenèche
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hobeika
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larrieu
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Neau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000502:physiology*