Thoracolaryngeal reflex latencies in Thoroughbred horses with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
Abstract: Electrolaryngeography was used to study the latencies of the thoracolaryngeal adductor reflex in Thoroughbred horses with and without recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN). Latencies were compared in horses with grades 1 and 2 RLN, diagnosed by endoscopy in resting horses. The reliability of the measurements, effect of sedation and correlations of latencies with age of the horse were also studied. There was no effect of sedation on reflex latency periods. The latency of the reflex period measured to a convolved peak of the electromyographic response was significantly different in horses with grades 1 and 2 disease; medians and quartile ranges were 0.067 (0.065-0.073) and 0.072 (0.068-0.074) s, respectively (P<0.05). Significant associations were found between reflex latencies and both horse age and the grade of RLN. Reflex latency measurements are reliable and sensitive, and may assist with the clinical appraisal of Thoroughbred horses with RLN.
Publication Date: 2005-07-05 PubMed ID: 15993790DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2004.03.020Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research examines the response times (latencies) of a particular reflex in Thoroughbred horses affected by recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN), a nerve-based condition. The findings show the potential value of measuring these latencies as a diagnostic tool for RLN.
Understanding the Investigations
The entire research can be broken down into several investigative steps:
- The researchers used electrolaryngeography, a technique involving electrical amplifiers and recording equipment, to study the latencies of a specific reflex known as the thoracolaryngeal adductor reflex. This reflex involves the contraction of muscles in the larynx (the part of the throat containing the vocal cords).
- The latencies, or response times, measured by this method were compared between horses with RLN of different grades, and horses without the condition.
- The reliability of these latency measurements was assessed, including the effect of sedation on the reflex latency periods. The researchers found no difference in latency periods due to sedation, confirming that this factor did not confound the results.
- The researchers also looked at correlations between latency periods, horse age, and the grade of RLN, finding a positive association.
Conclusions of the Study
The outcomes of this research can be presented in few crucial points:
- Interestingly, the researchers discovered that latency periods differed significantly between horses with different grades of RLN. This suggests that the reflex latency periods could potentially be used as an additional diagnostic tool to differentiate between different grades of the disease.
- Findings also established significant associations between reflex latencies and both the age of the horse and the grade of RLN. This implies that the latency of these reflex responses could potentially give valuable insights into the severity of the condition in individual horses, and how it might progress as they get older.
- The authors concluded that the method of measuring reflex latencies appears to be both reliable and sensitive, and may thus serve as a useful tool in the diagnosis and clinical evaluation of RLN in Thoroughbred horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Curtis RA, Hahn CN, Evans DL, Williams T, Begg L.
(2005).
Thoracolaryngeal reflex latencies in Thoroughbred horses with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
Vet J, 170(1), 67-76.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2004.03.020 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Conscious Sedation / veterinary
- Electromyography / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Reaction Time
- Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / physiopathology
- Severity of Illness Index
- Vocal Cord Paralysis / diagnosis
- Vocal Cord Paralysis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Cercone M, Hokanson CM, Olsen E, Ducharme NG, Mitchell LM, Piercy RJ, Cheetham J. Asymmetric recurrent laryngeal nerve conduction velocities and dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle electromyographic characteristics in clinically normal horses.. Sci Rep 2019 Feb 25;9(1):2713.
- Cheetham J, Regner A, Jarvis JC, Priest D, Sanders I, Soderholm LV, Mitchell LM, Ducharme NG. Functional electrical stimulation of intrinsic laryngeal muscles under varying loads in exercising horses.. PLoS One 2011;6(8):e24258.
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