Electrophysiologic Response to Electrical Stimulation Proximal Peripheral Nerve Conditioning

Lee, Chyung Ki

Abstract

The effect of electrical nerve stimulation are controversial because of the inconsistent variables of stimulating current and electrophysiologic study. The purposes of this study are to reconfirm the electrophysiolgic changes by electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerve that had been reported in 1993, and to monitor how long they will be maintained. In this study, the following conditioning stimulations were applied to 20 healthy volunteers; interferential current (frequency: 80 - 100 Hz, intensity: 27 - 34 mA) on the sacral paraspinal area. The H reflex, the Fresponse, and the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) of the tibial nerve were evaluated as the electrophysiologic study before, immediately after, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes after the above conditioning stimulation. The following results were obtained; 1) Latencies of the H reflex, the F response and the SEP (P1), and the F wave conduction time, the F wave conduction velocity and the F ratio in the tibial nerve conduction study were increased by conditioning stimulation of the proximal peripheral nerves (P>0.01). 2) Changes of the amplitude of the H reflex, the H/M ratio, and the amplitude (P1N1) of the tibial SEP were not significant in the same conditioning stimulation (P>0.05). 3) Prolongations of the latencies of H reflex, F response and P1 SEP of the tibial nerve were the most significant immediately after conditioning stimulation and sustained for 45 minutes after conditioning on average (P<0.01). The above results suggest that certain conditional electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerves causes reversible changes in the conduction of the H reflex, the F response and the SEP and they may be inhibitory effect of the proximal conduction via the spinal cord.