[The blink reflex and stimulus detection by the facial nerve in 50 cases of Guillain-Barré polyradiculitis]. / Réflexe de clignement et stimulo-détection du nerf facial dans 50 cas de polyradiculonévrite de Guillain-Barré.

ABSTRACT

The blink reflex combined with stimulo-detection of the facial nerve was studied in 50 patients presenting Guillain-Barré polyradiculoneuritis. The reflex was normal in more than half the cases. The most frequent electrological picture consisted in bilateral lengthening of the early and late reflex responses of the blink reflex with unilateral or bilateral increase of motor facial latency. The blink reflex showed various abnormalities in slightly more than one third of the cases of polyradiculoneuritis presenting no clinical signs of facial involvement, thus constituting subclinical lesional evidence of the reflex arc.