Invited Review
Cutaneous silent periods
Mary Kay Floeter MD, PhD,
Corresponding Author
Mary Kay Floeter MD, PhD
EMG Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 5C101, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
EMG Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 5C101, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USASearch for more papers by this authorMary Kay Floeter MD, PhD,
Corresponding Author
Mary Kay Floeter MD, PhD
EMG Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 5C101, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
EMG Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 5C101, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USASearch for more papers by this authorAbstract
The cutaneous silent period (CSP) refers to the brief interruption in voluntary contraction that follows strong electrical stimulation of a cutaneous nerve. The CSP is a protective reflex that is mediated by spinal inhibitory circuits and is reinforced in part by parallel modulation of the motor cortex. This review summarizes current understanding of the afferents and circuits that are responsible for producing CSPs; the utility of the CSP for investigating peripheral and central nervous system disorders; and the relationship between the CSP, other cutaneous reflexes, and peripheral silent periods. Muscle Nerve 28: 391–401, 2003
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