Neurologia. 1989 Mar;4(2):39-42.

[Clinical and neurophysiologic tests in the normal elderly].

Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain)

[Article in Spanish]
G Paradiso, F Micheli, I Casas Parera

PMID: 2560937

Abstract

Clinical and neurophysiological examination was performed in 35 normal aged subjects (72 +/- 6.4; range 65-86 years). Seventeen showed abnormal ankle reflex (48.6%), one case had patellar areflexia as well (2.9%), six had malleolar appalesthesia (17%), and five revealed both areflexia and apallesthesia (14%). Electromyography and motor conduction were normal in every case. Sural nerve conduction velocity and the amplitude of the sensory evoked potential showed no differences between subjects with and without clinical abnormalities. It is concluded that a) reflex and vibration sensibility changes in the elderly are not consequence of peripheral nerve involvement and b) there is no reason to believe there is an "aging neuropathy".

MeSH terms

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Aging / physiology
• Humans
• Neural Conduction
• Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology
• Reflex, Abnormal / physiology
• Spinal Nerves / physiopathology
• Sural Nerve / physiopathology

Publication Types

• English Abstract
• Journal Article