@article{ref1,
title="EMG-responses to sudden onset free fall",
journal="Acta oto-laryngologica. Supplementum",
year="1995",
author="Bisdorff, A. R. and Bronstein, A. M. and Gresty, Michael Andrew and Wolsley, C. J. and Davies, A. and Young, A.",
volume="520",
number="Pt 2",
pages="347-349",
abstract="Recordings of axial and limb muscles in reaction to a free fall induced startle were performed in subjects while they were lying on a tilting couch with their eyes closed. Young normals (n = 24, aged 31.1 +/- 6.6 years) showed an activation sequence consisting of sternomastoid (N.XI: 57 ms), abdominal muscles (T10: 65 ms), quadriceps (L3: 75 ms) and deltoid (C5: 78 ms) and tibialis anterior (L4: 80 ms). The sequence of activation is not compatible with the current hypothesis of the startle being produced by a single volley spreading rostrally and caudally from the lower brainstem. Instead it is suggested that the startle is a patterned response organized by a putative reticular generator capable of spatio-temporal sequencing. Two avestibular patients had responses at mildly delayed latencies, showing that these can be elicited by non-vestibular inputs. Similar testing of 11 subjects aged 70-80 years showed a latency delay of ca. 26% in the EMG response but a similar activation sequence. The amount of delay in the elderly can only partially be attributed to age-dependent motor conduction slowing and suggests a prolongation of central processing time. In patients with advanced stages of akinetic-rigid syndromes abnormalities were seen in cases with an involvement of the brainstem reticular formation.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0365-5237",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}