Neurophysiological mechanisms in abnormal reflex activities in cerebral palsy and spinal spasticity.

Dorsal root stimulation, carried out during operation in 80 spastic cerebral palsy patients and in one spastic quadriplegic patient, allowed a study of abnormal monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflexes. Frequency-related depression of the monosynaptic reflex was not present; increased activity through non-suppressed polysynaptic pathways was shown.