[Changes in the H-reflex of children with cerebral spastic hemiparesis].

A study of the H-reflexes in children with cerebral spastic hemipareses and in the control group of normal children depicted a decrease of the maximum amplitudes of H-reflexes and a drop in the relation Hmax:Mmax, a shortening of the latent period and a slower development of inhibition in sick children; in comparison with normals. Such changes are seen not only on the affected side in the patients, but on the unaffected (although expressed to a less degree). Such states do not permit to consider the nonaffected side as intact. The authors believe that the studied groups of patients are characterized by a disturbed process of intraspinal inhibition.