[Recurrent inhibition in patients with lesions of the central nervous system].

Recurrent inhibition was studied by antidromic stimulation of Renshaw's cells. 25 normal subjects and 74 patients with CNS lesions accompanied by movement disturbances were examined. During weak voluntary contraction of the soleus muscle, the stimuli were applied to motor fibers of the n. tibialis (weak M-response was evoked). In normal subjects, the stimulation was followed by short-latency suppression of the EMG background activity of the muscle brought about by recurrent inhibition. The same inhibition was revealed in patients with spastic paresis caused by pyramidal system lesion. However, the stimulation failed to evoke the recurrent inhibition in patients with movement disturbances caused by brain stem and cerebellum lesions, including patients with hypotonia.