title: Analysis of descriptive electrophysiological parameters in contralateral interlimb reflexes on tetraplegic patients.
abstract: METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to analyze and correlate the interlimb reflexes (ILRs), through a standard methodology, in tetraplegic and healthy subjects. The study of the connectivity between the injured spinal cord and the ILR transmission empowers new rehabilitation pathways for tetraplegic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Hospital-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 15 chronic tetraplegic patients and 10 healthy subjects were analyzed with the same methodology. Two tests were performed: (i) In test 1, the stimulus was applied to the right-arm radial nerve and the electromyography (EMG) signal collected in contralateral left tibial muscle. (ii) In test 2, the stimulus was applied to the left-leg fibular nerve and EMG collected in contralateral limb biceps, exploring the opposite direction of the pathway. In both tests, the subjects were stimulated with intensities from 5 to 30 mA (5 mA step) and 40 × 500 μs current modulated pulses. Reflexes were detected from the averaging of the 40 EMG sweeps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each group was analyzed with regard to the reflexes' incidence, amplitude and latency. ILRs were found with similar prominence in both groups. A correlation between the ILR amplitude and the subject injury level was verified. Significant differences were found in the correlation of ILR latency with stimulation charge between healthy and tetraplegic subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ILR transmission parameters of healthy and tetraplegic subjects were studied. The results obtained strongly suggest a different ILR transmission between healthy and tetraplegic subjects, reinforcing the hypothesis of nerve regeneration after injury.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies-New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Didier
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bracco
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies-New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Gamboa
authors.affiliation: 1] Orthopedics Department, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil [2] Department of Electrical Engineering, University of São Paulo at São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cliquet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult