International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology
-
Int J Psychophysiol · Jul 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Controlled Clinical TrialTaxometric analysis of biceps femoris EMG following electrocutaneous stimulation over the sural nerve: determining the latent structure of the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR).
The nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) is a polysynaptic withdrawal reflex typically assessed from biceps femoris electromyogram (EMG) following noxious stimulation of the ipsilateral sural nerve. Electrophysiological evidence suggests the reflex is elicited following the activation of small diameter A-delta afferents. As a result, the NFR is assumed to be a categorically distinct construct that emerges from EMG activity only following nociceptor activation. ⋯ Results suggested the presence of a taxon in the covariance of biceps femoris EMG and stimulus intensity that is likely to be the NFR. Furthermore, preliminary analyses suggested the best method of scoring NFR magnitude was using Cohen's d. Implications of these results are discussed.