US 4,064,870 A · Method and device for evaluating nerve impulse propagation velocity and latency of electrodermal reflexes

Abstract

The method and reactometric device provide for separate or simultaneous evaluation of latency and electrodermal reflex propagation speed through postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers. Evaluation is carried out by help of electronic interval counting devices and yields certain correlations enabling differentiation between the central and peripheral neurovegetative fatigue as well as intoxication phenomena of peripheral vegetative fibers. Evaluations are conducted through two electrodes located on the same innervation area, i.e. on the longitudinal axis of palm, the electrodes being spaced by a known distance which is considered in the evaluation of electrodermal reflex propagation. The first electrode intercepts the electrodermal reflex used in the evaluation of latency.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method of evaluating nerve-impulse-propagation velocity through vegetative fibers of a human subject and the latency of electrodermal reflexes, comprising the steps of:

disposing two electrodes with a predetermined spacing on the palm of the hand of a subject in a common innervation area;
generating a stimulus to trigger a nerve response in said subject;
initiating the product of a train of first pulses simultaneously with the generation of said stimulus;
counting said first pulses;
terminating the counting of said first pulses upon detection of an electrodermal reflex at one of said electrodes, the resulting count of the first pulse representing the period of latency of electrodermal reflexes;
initiating a train of second pulses upon the detection of the electrodermal reflex at said one of said electrodes;
counting said second pulses;
terminating the counting of said second pulses upon the detection of a corresponding electrodermal reflex at the other of said electrodes;
and
establishing the nerve-impulse progagation velocity of the subject by dividing the distance between said electrodes by the sum of the pulse durations and pulse intervals of the counted second pulses.

7 more elements

A device for the evaluation of nerve-impulse-propagation velocity through vegetative fiber of a human subject and the latency of electrodermal reflexes thereof, said device comprising:

a pair of palm electrodes and means for holding said palm electrodes with a predetermined spacing against a common innervation area of the palm of said subject;
a stimulus generator for exciting in said subject a nerve response;
respective transducers connected to said electrodes for producing output signals representing electrodermal responses at each of said electrodes;
respective level comparators connected to said transducers for producing respective outputs upon the output signals of the respective transducers exceeding predetermined levels;
a first flip-flop circuit triggerable into one state by the outputs of one of said level comparators and into an opposite state by the output of the other of said level comparators;
a first pulse generator connected to said first flip-flop and triggerable thereby in said one state of said flip-flop to produce a train of first pulses during the interval between said states of said first flip-flop;
and
a first counter connected to said first pulse generator for counting said first pulses during said interval, the nerve-impulse-propagation velocity being determined by dividing the distance between said electrodes by said interval as determined by the count of said first counter.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and device for evaluating nerve impulse propagation velocity and latency of electrodermal reflexes

Life of this patent

Method and device for evaluating nerve impulse propagation velocity and latency of electrodermal reflexes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims3