Abstract
BackgroundA 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.Methodology/Principal FindingsThis 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.Conclusions/SignificanceNeurologically normal individuals will experience an age-dependent decline in patellar reflex response.
Highlights
The tendon jerk, one of the most frequently used clinical methods for the differential assessment of human motor disorders [1,2,3,4,5], is classified as a type of somatic reflex [6]
Much of our understanding regarding the effect of age on the magnitude of the reflex response remains speculative given that most studies that have analyzed the effect of age on reflex responses have produced inconsistent results [10,11]
Motion analysis is an approach that has been suggested recently for the assessment of patellar tendon reflex response, and it has proven to be a valid and reliable technique that could possibly overcome the limitations of the current methods [4,22]
Summary
The tendon jerk, one of the most frequently used clinical methods for the differential assessment of human motor disorders [1,2,3,4,5], is classified as a type of somatic reflex [6]. Some studies [10,11,12,13,14] reported that the elderly have weak and delayed neuromuscular reflexes, whereas others have reported no change [15,16,17,18] or even enhanced amplitude [19] in reflex response with ageing [10] These inconsistencies may be due to a lack of standardized, accurate, and convenient methods to quantify tendon reflex response in large samples while minimizing other extraneous variables [10]. This study aims to examine the influence of age on the magnitude of the patellar tendon reflex response
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