J Korean Neurol Assoc.  2000 May;18(3):375-378.

Characterisitc Electrophysiological Findings in a Case with Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Infarct

• KIm KK

Abstract

The diagnosis of a cervical cord infarction could be made with clinical manifestations and a neurological examination. The MRI will make a disgnosis. The nerve conduction study and electromyogram were conducted for a better comprehension of the flaccid hands weakness and paraplegia. The nerve conduction study, performed two weeks after stroke, did not show any compound motor action potentials (CMAPs) of the abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti quinti (ADQ), or the extensor digitorum communis muscles. Late responses (H-reflexes and F-waves) were not evoked in the lower extremities. The denervation potentials were detected in the APB and ADQ. The diffuse anterior horn cell lesion of the C7-T1 spinal cord did not cause CMAPs in any of the hand muscles. A lack of late-responses in the lower extremity of the cervical cord infarct suggests that the suprasegmental region of the descending tract to the anterior horn cells of the lumbar spinal cord must be needed for the production of a late-response by a signal transduct-ing neurotransmitters or long loop facilitations.

Keyword

Cervical cord infarct; H-reflex; F-wave

MeSH Terms

Action Potentials
Anterior Horn Cells
Comprehension
Denervation
Diagnosis
H-Reflex
Hand
Infarction
Lower Extremity
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Muscles
Neural Conduction
Neurologic Examination
Neurotransmitter Agents
Paraplegia
Spinal Cord*
Stroke
Neurotransmitter Agents