Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-5g6vh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T08:30:39.425Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Measure of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Efficacy Applicable to H-Reflex Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

G.I. Boorman ,
J.A. Hoffer ,
K. Kallesoe ,
D. Viberg  and
C. Mah
G.I. Boorman*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
J.A. Hoffer
Affiliation:
School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
K. Kallesoe
Affiliation:
School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
D. Viberg
Affiliation:
School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
C. Mah
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
*
University of California Los Angeles, Dept. Physiological Science, 405 Hilgard, 2322 Life Science Building, Los Angeles, California, USA 90095-1527
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Background: When H-reflexes are recorded during movement in human subjects, the stimulator current output is not a good indicator of sensory stimulation efficacy because of unavoidable nerve movement relative to the stimulus electrodes. Therefore, the M-wave amplitude has been used by researchers as an indicator of the efficacy of the stimulus. In this study we have examined the general validity of the hypothesis that the M-wave amplitude is directly proportional to the group I sensory afferent volley evoked by the stimulus. Methods: A nerve recording cuff, stimulating electrodes, and EMG recording electrodes were implanted in cats. Nerve cuff recordings of centrally propagating volleys evoked by electrical stimuli were directly compared to M-waves produced by the same stimuli. Compound action potentials (CAPs) recorded in the sciatic nerve were compared with soleus M-waves during either tibial nerve or soleus muscle nerve stimulation. CAPs in the ulnar nerve were correlated with flexor carpi ulnaris M-waves during ulnar nerve stimulation. Results and Conclusions: Our findings indicate that for mixed nerve stimulation (e.g., tibial or ulnar nerve) the M-wave can be a reliable indicator of the centrally propagating sensory volley. Due to the high correlation between CAP and M-wave amplitude in these nerves, a small number of M-waves can give a good estimate of the size of the group I sensory volley. On the other hand, when nerves with only partially overlaping fibre diameter populations are stimulated (e.g., the soleus muscle nerve), the M-wave is not well correlated with the group I sensory volley and thus may not be used as a measure of the size of the input volley for H-reflex studies.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 23 , Issue 4 , November 1996 , pp. 264 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1996

References

1.Garrett, M, Ireland, A, Luckwill, RG.Changes in excitability of the Hoffman reflex during walking in man. J Physiol 1984; 355: 23p.Google Scholar
2.Capaday, C, Stein, RB.Amplitude modulation of the soleus H-reflex in the human during walking and standing. J Neurosci 1986; 6: 1308–1313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Crenna, P, Frigo, C.Excitability of the soleus H-reflex arc during walking and stepping in man. Exp Brain Res 1987; 66: 49–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Wolpaw, JR.Operant conditioning of primate spinal reflexes: the H-reflex. J Neurophysiol 1987; 57: 443–459.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Dietz, V, Faist, F, Pierrot-Deseilligny, E.Amplitude modulation of the quadriceps H-reflex in the human during the early stance phase of gait. Exp Brain Res 1990; 79: 221–224.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Boorman, G, Becker, W, Morrice, B, Lee, RG.Modulation of the soleus H-reflex during pedalling in normal subjects and in patients with spinal cord injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1992; 55: 1150–1156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Hoffer, JA.Techniques to record spinal cord, peripheral nerve and muscle activity in freely moving animals. In: Boulton, AA, Baker, GB and Vanderwold, CH, eds. Neurophysiological Techniques: Applications to Neural Systems. Neuromethods, Vol 15, Clifton NJ, Humana Press 1990: 65–145.Google Scholar
8.McNeal, DR, Baker, L, Symons, JT.Recruitment data for nerve cuff electrodes: implications for design of implantable stimulators. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 1989; 36: 301–308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Fang, Z, Mortimer, JT.Selective activation of small motor axons by quasitrapezoidal current pulses. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 1991; 38: 168–174.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Mortimer, JT.Motor Prostheses. In: Brooks, VB, ed. Handbook of Physiology, The Nervous System II: Motor Control, Bethesda, Maryland, Am Physiol Soc 1981; 155–187.Google Scholar
11.Marks, WB, Loeb, GE.Action currents, internodal potentials and extracellular records of myelinated mammalian nerve fibres derived from node potentials. Biophys J 1976; 16: 655–668.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Boyd, IA, Davey, MR.Composition of Peripheral Nerves. Edinburgh and London, E & S Livingstone Ltd. 1968: 41.Google Scholar
13.Loeb, GE, Gans, J.Electromyography for Experimentalists. Chicago, University of Chicago Press 1986.Google Scholar
14.Hicks, A, Fenton, J, Garner, S, McComas, AJ.M-wave potentiation during and after muscle activity. J Appl Physiol 1989; 66: 2606–2610.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Ariano, MA, Armstrong, RB, Edgerton, VR.Hindlimb muscle fiber populations of five mammals. J Histochem Cytochem 1973; 21: 51–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Burke, RE.Motor units: anatomy, physiology and functional organization. In: Brooks, VB, ed. Handbook of Physiology, Sect 1. The Nervous System, Vol 2. Motor Control. Bethesda MD, American Physiological Society 1981: 345–423.Google Scholar
17.Ungar, IJ, Mortimer, JT, Sweeney, JD.Generation of unidirectionally propagating action potentials using a monopolar electrode cuff. Annals Biomed Eng 1986; 14: 437–450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Hoffer, JA, Loeb, GE, Pratt, CA.Single unit conduction velocities from averaged nerve cuff electrode records in freely moving cats. J Neurosci Methods 1981; 4: 211–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Hoffer, JA, Loeb, GE, Marks, WB, et al. Cat hindlimb mononeurons during locomotion. I. Destination, axonal conduction velocity and recruitment threshold. J Neurophysiol 1987; 57: 530–553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar