Introduction. Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP) scan is a noninvasive promissoryand promising technique for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative
pathologies diagnosis. In this work, new CMAP scan protocols were implemented to study the influence of electrical pulse waveform
waveforms on peripheral nerve excitability.
Methods. A total of 13 healthy subjects were tested. Stimulation was performed, with an increasing
intensities rangeranging from 4 to 30mA. The procedure was repeated 4 times per subject, using a different single pulse stimulation
waveformwaveforms: monophasic square and, triangular and, quadratic, and biphasic square.
Results. Different waveforms elicitelicited different
intensity-response amplitude curves. The square pulse needs less current to generate the same response amplitude regarding the
other waves and this effect is gradually decreasingdecreases for the triangular, quadratic, and biphasic pulse, respectively.
Conclusion. The
stimulation waveform has a direct influence on the stimulus-response slope and consequently on the motoneurons excitability. This
canThis could be a new prognostic parameter for neurodegenerative disorders.
can