Clinical neurophysiology in schizophrenia

Abstract

In a series of 267 patients with clinical evidence of lumbar root lesions, which we have systematically investigated by means of emg, the ilt of the H-reflex over the m. gastrocnemius and m. soleus turned out to be the most sensitive diagnostic parameter in cases of root compression of L5 and S1 respectively. In these patients the H-reflex ilt was either more than 2 msec. longer in one leg or was much too long in both legs (more than 28 msec.). In normal healthy controls this ilt of the H-response never differed more than 1 msec. This symptom has not been published previously to our knowledge.Other emg symptoms which already have been published by other authors, were also found to be of great importance to the diagnosis in lumbar root compression, although a less constant finding. These are: asymmetry of the H/M ratio with a difference of more than 50%; more than 15% polyphasic potentials at moderate voluntary contraction; single unit or reduced mixed pattern at maximal voluntary contraction and segmental denervation as fibrillation potential positive spikes and fasciculations.