[Conduction in the motor neurons of the peripheral nerves in hemiplegia of cerebral origin].

A study of motor nerve conduction velocities in median, ulnar, peroneal and tibial nerves bilaterally in 50 hemiplegic patients revealed a statistically significant slowing in the affected limbs compared with the unaffected side. The decrease of nerve conduction velocity was not related to any of the following factors: duration of stroke, degree of paralysis, degree of spasticity, side of paralysis, age of patients, and sex ef patients. The results can indicate that lower motor neurons are indeed affected by upper motor neuron lesions. The slowing of the nerve conduction velocity of motor peripheral nerves is probably due to the loss of trophic influence from higher centres or its decline. The author suggests that this phenomenon leads to a selective deterioration of thick nerve fibres while only thinner ones continue conducting impulses.