A new method for eliciting and studying H-reflexes in the human masseter

Scutter S., Türker K. S., Yang J.

Archives of Oral Biology, vol.42, no.5, pp.371-376, 1997 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 42 Issue: 5
  • Publication Date: 1997
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/s0003-9969(97)00029-0
  • Journal Name: Archives of Oral Biology
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.371-376
  • Keywords: H-reflex, masseter, single motor units, human
  • Istanbul Gelisim University Affiliated: No

Abstract

A non-invasive method is presented for transmuscular stimulation of the masseteric nerve, using a frame to apply a cathode to the mandibular notch and an anode to the inside of the mouth. The H-reflex response was recorded using surface, macro and single motor-unit (SMU) electromyography (EMG) from the masseter. The latency of the reflex response representing the H-reflex in SMUs was determined from the cumulative sum of the peristimulus time histogram. This latency was then corrected using a spike-trigger averaging technique, where the SMU spikes were used as triggers and the macro EMG recording as the source. SMU latencies for the H-reflex in masseter were in the range 5.9-8.8 msec, whereas H-reflex latencies for surface EMG varied between 5.4 and 6.4 msec.