[Diagnosis of subclinical manifestations of the pyramidal syndrome by stimulation electromyography].

The studies were carried out on patients with cerebral and spinal pathology (transient disturbances of cerebral circulation, post-traumatic epilepsy, cervical myelopathy with segmental disorders, etc.). Despite the absence of the clinical manifestations of the pyramid syndrome most patients showed diversely directed shifts of the amplitude of the soleus muscle H-reflex, absence of the depression of this response on high-frequency stimulation, presence of the H-potential in the foot muscles, and an increase of the amplitude of the H-reflex (withdrawn by needle electrodes) of the anterior tibial muscle. It has been concluded that of greater diagnostic value for revealing subclinical forms of the pyramid-extrapyramid insufficiency are electrophysiological findings characterizing the state of the spinal inhibition mechanisms, rather than tests characterizing the level of the motor neuron activity.