Influence of age on patellar tendon reflex response

A clinical parameter commonly used to assess the neurological status of an individual is the tendon reflex response. However, the clinical method of evaluation often leads to subjective conclusions that may differ between examiners. Moreover, attempts to quantify the reflex response, especially in o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-11, Vol.8 (11), p.e80799-e80799
Main Authors: Chandrasekhar, Annapoorna, Abu Osman, Noor Azuan, Tham, Lai Kuan, Lim, Kheng Seang, Wan Abas, Wan Abu Bakar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age
Age Factors
Aging
Biomedical engineering
Electromyography
Engineering
Female
Humans
Kinesiology
Knee
Locomotion
Male
Methods
Middle Aged
Patellar Ligament - physiology
Reflex, Stretch - physiology
Reflexes
Research methodology
Sex Factors
Skin & tissue grafts
Studies
Tendons
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Summary:A clinical parameter commonly used to assess the neurological status of an individual is the tendon reflex response. However, the clinical method of evaluation often leads to subjective conclusions that may differ between examiners. Moreover, attempts to quantify the reflex response, especially in older age groups, have produced inconsistent results. This study aims to examine the influence of age on the magnitude of the patellar tendon reflex response. This study was conducted using the motion analysis technique with the reflex responses measured in terms of knee angles. Forty healthy subjects were selected and categorized into three different age groups. Patellar reflexes were elicited from both the left and right patellar tendons of each subject at three different tapping angles and using the Jendrassik maneuver. The findings suggested that age has a significant effect on the magnitude of the reflex response. An angle of 45° may be the ideal tapping angle at which the reflex can be elicited to detect age-related differences in reflex response. The reflex responses were also not influenced by gender and were observed to be fairly symmetrical. Neurologically normal individuals will experience an age-dependent decline in patellar reflex response.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0080799