HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bernstein, L. P. Articles by Antel, J. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bernstein, L. P. Articles by Antel, J. P.

Motor neuron disease

Decremental responses to repetitive nerve stimulation

From the Department of Neurology, the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.

we found significant decrement of the compound muscle action potential recorded from the abductor digiti minimi muscle in response to repetitive nerve stimulation in patients with rapidly developing motor neuron disease (MND), but not in patients with slowly developing disease when measured before exercise (7.6 ± 1.3% versus 1.6 ± 1.6%) and 2 minutes after exercise (13.6 ± 1.2% versus 0.5 ± 0.5%). All patients showed repair of decrement immediately after exercise. The mean amplitude of the compound muscle action potential was significantly lower in both the rapid-disease (2.9 ± 0.9 mV) and slow-disease (5.2 ± 1.6 mV) groups than in controls (14.5 ± 1.2 mV). For individual patients, there was no correlation between amplitude of the compound muscle action potential and decrement. These data indicate that decrement in MND relates to activity of disease of the motor neuron.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Bernstein, Department of Neurology, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, 950 E. 59th Street, Chicago. IL 60637.

Supported by grants from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of America and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Inc. (J.P.A.).

Accepted for publication April 21, 1980.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Honda, M. J. Bankowski, E. H. N. Kajioka, N. Chokrungvaranon, W. Kim, and S. T. Gallacher Thoracic Vertebral Actinomycosis: Actinomyces israelii and Fusobacterium nucleatum J. Clin. Microbiol., June 1, 2008; 46(6): 2009 - 2014. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A R Mackenzie, R B S Laing, C C Smith, G F Kaar, and F W Smith Spinal epidural abscess: the importance of early diagnosis and treatment J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, August 1, 1998; 65(2): 209 - 212. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Leveille, J. Kiernan, J. A. Goodwin, and J. Antel Eye Movements in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Arch Neurol, November 1, 1982; 39(11): 684 - 686. [Abstract] [PDF]