Slowing of nerve conduction velocity in hemiplegia: possible factors.

A study of nerve conduction velocities in ulnar and peroneal nerves bilaterally in 27 hemiplegic patients revealed a statistically significant slowing in the affected limbs compared with the unaffected limbs, and a slowing of both compared with the standards for completely normal subjects. These results suggest that the upper motor lesion affects the function of the lower motor neuron. Proposed causes include a demonstrated lower skin temperature, a possible atrophic thinning of the fibers and other less plausible factors.