[Clinical and neurophysiologic tests in the normal elderly].

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".