PURPOSE: Pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing has been used to test for pudendal neuropathy, but its value remains controversial. We sought to clarify the relationship of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency...PURPOSE: Pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing has been used to test for pudendal neuropathy, but its value remains controversial. We sought to clarify the relationship of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency to sphincter pressure and level of continence in a cohort of patients with intact anal sphincters and normal pelvic floor anatomy. METHODS: We reviewed 1,404 consecutive patients who were evaluated at our pelvic floor laboratory for fecal incontinence. From this group, 83 patients had intact anal sphincters on ultrasound and did not have internal or external rectal prolapse during defecography. These patients were evaluated by pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing, a standardized questionnaire, and anorectal manometry, which measured resting and squeeze anal pressures. Incontinence scores were calculated by using the American Medical Systems Fecal Incontinence Score. Values were compared by using the Fisher’s exact test and Wilcoxon’s rank-sum test; and significance was assigned at the P < 0.05 level. RESULTS: 1) Using a 2.2-ms threshold, 28 percent of patients had prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency unilaterally and 12 percent bilaterally. 2) At a 2.4-ms threshold, 18 percent of patients had prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency unilaterally and 8 percent bilaterally. 3) Bilaterally prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency was significantly associated with decreased maximum mean resting pressure and increased Fecal Incontinence Score, but not decreased maximum mean squeeze pressure, at both 2.2-ms and 2.4-ms thresholds. 4) Unilaterally prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency was not associated with maximum mean resting pressure, maximum mean squeeze pressure, or fecal incontinence score at either threshold. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of incontinent patients with intact sphincters have normal pudendal nerve terminal motor latency. Bilaterally but not unilaterally prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency is associated with poorer function and physiology in the incontinent patient with an intact sphincter.展开更多
目的探究踝关节跖背屈疲劳任务中高精度经颅直流电刺激(high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation,HD-tDCS)对H-反射和M-波的调控效果,为HD-tDCS减轻神经肌肉疲劳的实际应用提供方向。方法招募20名健康青年男性受试者,...目的探究踝关节跖背屈疲劳任务中高精度经颅直流电刺激(high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation,HD-tDCS)对H-反射和M-波的调控效果,为HD-tDCS减轻神经肌肉疲劳的实际应用提供方向。方法招募20名健康青年男性受试者,随机分为真刺激组和假刺激组各10名。对受试者采取连续5 d的单盲HD-tDCS干预(时间20 min;强度2 mA;靶点Cz),干预前1天采集受试者安静条件下的H-反射和M-波,跖屈肌最大自主收缩(maximal voluntary isometric contraction,MVIC)时的M-波,跖屈肌和背屈肌MVIC力矩,并进行一次踝关节跖背屈运动性疲劳任务,以确定受试者达到该任务疲劳的时间。干预后1天进行与第1次疲劳任务相同的运动时间,并进行后测的数据采集。采用重复测量双因素(刺激方案×疲劳前后)方差分析其自变量对受试者肌肉力学特性、α运动神经元传导特性各指标的影响。结果相较于疲劳前,两组疲劳后的自主激活值(voluntary activation,VA)、H-反射最大值(maximal H-reflex,H_(max))、M-波最大值(maximal M-wave,Mmax)、跖屈肌和背屈肌MVIC力矩均显著降低(P<0.05),但相比于真刺激组,假刺激组的VA和背屈肌MVIC力矩下降更为显著(P<0.05)。结论连续5 d的HD-tDCS干预有助于提高脊髓节段α运动神经元的活性,且能抑制跖背屈疲劳诱发的外周“神经-肌肉”接头处信息传递能力的下降。展开更多
文摘PURPOSE: Pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing has been used to test for pudendal neuropathy, but its value remains controversial. We sought to clarify the relationship of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency to sphincter pressure and level of continence in a cohort of patients with intact anal sphincters and normal pelvic floor anatomy. METHODS: We reviewed 1,404 consecutive patients who were evaluated at our pelvic floor laboratory for fecal incontinence. From this group, 83 patients had intact anal sphincters on ultrasound and did not have internal or external rectal prolapse during defecography. These patients were evaluated by pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing, a standardized questionnaire, and anorectal manometry, which measured resting and squeeze anal pressures. Incontinence scores were calculated by using the American Medical Systems Fecal Incontinence Score. Values were compared by using the Fisher’s exact test and Wilcoxon’s rank-sum test; and significance was assigned at the P < 0.05 level. RESULTS: 1) Using a 2.2-ms threshold, 28 percent of patients had prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency unilaterally and 12 percent bilaterally. 2) At a 2.4-ms threshold, 18 percent of patients had prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency unilaterally and 8 percent bilaterally. 3) Bilaterally prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency was significantly associated with decreased maximum mean resting pressure and increased Fecal Incontinence Score, but not decreased maximum mean squeeze pressure, at both 2.2-ms and 2.4-ms thresholds. 4) Unilaterally prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency was not associated with maximum mean resting pressure, maximum mean squeeze pressure, or fecal incontinence score at either threshold. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of incontinent patients with intact sphincters have normal pudendal nerve terminal motor latency. Bilaterally but not unilaterally prolonged pudendal nerve terminal motor latency is associated with poorer function and physiology in the incontinent patient with an intact sphincter.
