DEEP PERONEAL MOTOR NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY DISTRIBUTION AND CORRELATION BETWEEN NERVE CONDUCTION GROUPS AND THE NUMBER OF INNERVATED MUSCLE FIBERS

Abstract

In this study, the distribution of peroneal-nerve conduction velocity was studied in 17 normal subjects, using the collision method. Paired supramaximal stimuli with predetermined interstimulus intervals (ISI) were applied at distal and proximal points of peroneal nerve and the resultant compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) were recorded. The change in CMAP amplitudes and areas with ISI were deduced, and the relative number of fibers corresponding to each conduction velocity group (CVG) were computed. Conduction velocities of the peroneal motor nerve innervating the Extensor Digitorum Brevis (EDB) muscle were found to be in the range of 28-52 m/s and CVG innervating the greatest number appears to be in 40-48 m/s range, which consists of 70% of all fibers. These results show that, compared with the median motor nerve, deep peroneal motor nerve that innervates the EDB muscle consist of slow fibers.