|
|
||||||||
1 University Department of
Gastroenterology,
We investigated the effects of lumbosacral and pudendal nerve stimulation on the corticofugal pathways to the human external anal sphincter. In 11 healthy subjects, anal sphincter electromyographic responses, evoked to transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex, were recorded 5-500 ms after lumbosacral root or pudendal nerve stimulation. Lumbosacral and pudendal nerve stimulation alone evoked responses with amplitudes of 293 ± 73 and 401 ± 153 µV and latencies of 3.2 ± 0.2 and 2.2 ± 0.2 ms, respectively. Cortical stimulation also evoked responses with amplitudes of 351 ± 104 µV and latencies of 20.9 ± 1.1 ms. When lumbosacral or pudendal nerve stimulation preceded cortical stimulation, the cortically evoked responses were facilitated (P < 0.01), with the effect appearing greatest at 5-20 ms after both lumbosacral and pudendal excitation and at 50-100 ms after lumbosacral excitation alone. Our results demonstrate that cortical pathways to the external anal sphincter are facilitated by prior lumbosacral and pudendal nerve stimulation, indicating that sensorimotor interactions are important in the central neural control of sphincter function.
cerebral cortex; electromyography; external anal sphincter; magnetic stimulation
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
M. K. Kern, R. C. Arndorfer, J. S. Hyde, and R. Shaker Cerebral cortical representation of external anal sphincter contraction: effect of effort Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, February 1, 2004; 286(2): G304 - G311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S Hamdy, P Enck, Q Aziz, S Uengoergil, A Hobson, and D G Thompson Laterality effects of human pudendal nerve stimulation on corticoanal pathways: evidence for functional asymmetry Gut, July 1, 1999; 45(1): 58 - 63. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Visit Other APS Journals Online |