The Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation on Spinal Motor Neuron Excitability in People Without Known Neuromuscular Diseases: The Roles of Stimulus Intensity and Location

The Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) is widely acknowledged as an indirect indicator of spinal motor neuron excitability. The purpose of this study was to determine whether transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES), applied over the dorsiflexors or plantar flexors of the ankle, would alter the soleus mu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical therapy 2002-04, Vol.82 (4), p.354-363
Main Authors: Hardy, S G Patrick, Spalding, Thomas B, Liu, Hao, Nick, Todd G, Pearson, Rebecca H, Hayes, Antonio V, Stokic, Dobrivoje S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Female
H-Reflex - physiology
Humans
Male
Methods
Middle Aged
Motor neurons
Motor Neurons - physiology
Muscle, Skeletal - physiology
Muscular system
Neural Conduction - physiology
Physical therapy
Physiological aspects
Reflexes
Spinal Cord - physiology
Therapeutics, Physiological
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
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Summary:The Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) is widely acknowledged as an indirect indicator of spinal motor neuron excitability. The purpose of this study was to determine whether transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES), applied over the dorsiflexors or plantar flexors of the ankle, would alter the soleus muscle's H-reflex. Attention was focused on the roles of stimulus intensity and location. Thirty-two volunteers without known neuromuscular diseases (17 women [53%]; mean years of age=27, SD=7.3, range=21-48) were studied. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups, and TES was administered for 15 minutes. Stimulation site and intensity varied according to group assignment. H-reflexes were recorded before and for 10 minutes after TES. H-reflex amplitudes increased following TES at sensory threshold, whereas H-reflex amplitudes did not change following TES at 1.5 times motor threshold. The site of stimulation did not influence the resulting H-reflexes. Low-intensity TES increases H-reflex amplitudes (and presumably the excitability of spinal motor neurons to Ia afferent input) in subjects without known neuromuscular diseases. High-intensity TES had little influence on H-reflex amplitudes.
ISSN:0031-9023
1538-6724
DOI:10.1093/ptj/82.4.354