Motor unit discharge behaviors in stroke patients.

We studied 60 motor units from abductor pollicis brevis, first dorsal interosseous, and abductor digiti minimus muscles in 18 patients with upper motor neuron lesions. Both fractional process parameters and serial correlation coefficients were estimated. The results suggest that both serial correlation coefficients and fractional process parameters can be used to objectively document upper motor neuron disorders in stroke patients. However, each of them may be more sensitive to distinct central motor regulatory mechanisms.