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The blink reflex in neonates with a subsequent poor outcome

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Abstract

We examined maturational changes in the electrical blink reflex in 11 handicapped children, i.e., 4 cases of developmental delay, 4 of cerebral palsy, 2 of congenital hydrocephalus, and 1 of congenital cytomegalovirus infection. The developmental delay and cerebral palsy cases were all born at 25–36 weeks' gestation. In all cases, prolonged latency, low amplitude, or the absence of the late component of the blink reflex was observed in the follow-up study. These results indicate that prematurity and some congenital impairment mainly influence the maturation of the long-loop reflex arc in the blink reflex.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Saiseikai Nakatsu Hospital, Osaka 2-10-39 Kita-ku, Shibata, 530, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Japan

    Takeshi Hatanaka, Kenji Owa, Nobana Hayashi, Satoshi Yoshijiama, Yutaka Suehiro & Keisuke Shinomiya

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, 1 Fumizonocho, 530, Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan

    Akihiro Yasuhara

Authors
  1. Takeshi Hatanaka
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  2. Kenji Owa
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  3. Nobana Hayashi
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  4. Satoshi Yoshijiama
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  5. Yutaka Suehiro
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  6. Keisuke Shinomiya
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  7. Akihiro Yasuhara
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Hatanaka, T., Owa, K., Hayashi, N. et al. The blink reflex in neonates with a subsequent poor outcome. Child's Nerv Syst 9, 104–106 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00305318

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00305318

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