Feasibility of the assessment of the H-reflex in adult dancers and non-dancers with and without Down Syndrome: a pilot study
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Author
Other authors
Publication date
2019-12Abstract
The analysis of monosynaptic Hoffman’s reflex (H-reflex) involves recording the
response to electrical stimulation of Ia-afferent fibers from the muscle spindle. The
H-reflex can be used as a probe to study spinal neuronal pathways and mechanisms
at rest and during movement in humans. The purpose of this study was to analyze
the feasibility of the assessment of the H-reflex in people with Down syndrome
(DS), and to compare it between adult dancers and non-dancers with and without
DS. Twenty-five participants were included and divided into four groups (6 nondancers
and 6 dancers with DS and, 7 non-dancers and 6 dancers without DS). The
H-reflex was recorded at the level of the soleus muscle in its central area. We
analyzed the H response in three different conditions: decubitus prone, static
standing position with open eyes and closed eyes. Non-dancers with DS showed
a faster H-reflex latency than both groups without DS (all p < .005). In the present
study, we provide evidence of the feasibility of eliciting the H-reflex in adults with
DS. Interestingly, the H-reflex was present in decubitus position but not in standing
position in most non-dancers with DS and dancers without DS. The data from this
study can help to perform future research in adults with DS and the development of
full-scale studies to analyze this variable in adults with intellectual disability with
and without DS.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Accepted version
Language
English
Keywords
Pages
16 p.
Publisher
Springer Nature
Is part of
Journal of developmental and physical disabilities, 2020, 32: 839-854
Grant agreement number
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/URL i La Caixa/Projectes de recerca/2016-URL-Trac-016
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/URL i La Caixa/Projectes de recerca/2018-URL-Proj-069
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FPCEEB/APRFPCEE1819/ 01
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/MINECO/PN I+D/DEP2017–86862-C2–1-R
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© Springer Science+Business Media
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/