Blink Reflex And Phrenic Nerve Conduction Study Of The Clinical Application Value

Blink reflex (BR) is one of brainstem reflexes, usually used in clinical neurophysiology to assess the function integrity of trigeminal nerve and facial nerve as well as to evaluate pathological process within the brainstem.OBJECTIVE To establish normal values of BR and to investigate the significance on the evaluation of various neurological disorders.MATERIALS Fifty healthy volunteers (25 males, 25 females, with average age of 44 years) and 156 patients (81 males and 75 females, with average age of 46 years) with various neuromuscular disorders were investigated. In the patient group, there were 20 cases with Bell's palsy (Bell), 28 symptomatic facial paralysis (SFP), 33 hemifaicial spasm (HFS), 11 with subjective paresthesia on the face (FPar), 18 unequivocal trigeminal nerve impairment (TNI), 17 brainstem lesions (BSL), and 29 cerebral vascular disease (CVD) on the hemisphere, respectively.METHODS The subject tested was ordered to close the eyes gently and relax. Surface electrodes were applied. The electrical pulse current with the intensity of 15-20 mA was used to stimulate the supraorbital nerve at the supraorbital foramen on one side, the responses of bilateral inferior-orbicularis oculi muscles were recorded respective-...