Clinical Motor Electroneurography

Gathered in this volume are the personal results of conventional electroneuromyographic examinations performed by the author during a 30 year period of clinical practice in an EMG Unit. Current opinions and personal views are expressed on various topics. In 25 separate chapters the different motor potentials, often evoked between the M-wave and F-wave, are investigated. These responses, like coupled or paired discharge, indirect discharge, etc., are extensively studied and described. Some of them may be considered as 'orphan', as most physicians do not get concerned about them. Although they are observed in daily clinical electroneuromyography, some of them are poorly understood and rarely investigated or documented. Several of the described potentials, however, are related to the regeneration and reinnervation process and therefore of high clinical interest. The characteristics of these various responses are illustrated by 400 figures. Among the latter, 54 models are presented, proposing possible underlying pathways and mechanisms of such responses as the ephaptic response, the heteronymous axon reflex or the heteronymous thenar H-reflex, etc.
They show that different responses may be the expression of the same anatomical structure. Practical simple tests for the rapid identification of these potentials are shown and their clinical utility is underlined. Priority is given to the study of single motor units and the double stimulation method. No special equipment is needed for these tests. Given the relative lack of illustration of these responses in the current electroneurographic literature, the author tried to present a large number of examples for each different type of response. An extended subject index and 950 references divided into the 25 chapters are added. The book was written for Electrodiagnosticians and Neurologists with clinical or research interest in peripheral nerve pathology and the various chapters may be consulted independently. Some views expressed in this publication may encourage new researchers in the field of peripheral nerve pathology and also, paradoxically, could interest the physicians who are working on spinal cord grafting.