Reflex hyperexcitability persists during voluntary muscle activation following stroke
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: After a stroke, the spinal stretch reflex is altered, but its behavior during functionally relevant, active-muscle conditions remained unclear. By accounting for both agonist and antagonist muscle activity, we reconcile discrepancies in the literature and demonstrate that the post-stroke stretch reflex is increasingly hyperexcitable with muscle activation. These results reveal persistent poststroke reflex differences during active conditions, highlighting impaired stretch reflex modulation as a potential contributor to movement deficits and a critical target for rehabilitation.
Source: Journal of Neurophysiology
Institutions: Northwestern University, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Language: English
Subfield: Rehabilitation
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7141669627