Demonstration and electrophysiological analysis of the blinking reflex in the rat. Value of the animal model
Fligny, I.; Lamas, G.; Poignonec, S.; Couturier, J.; Soudant, J.; Willer, J.C.
Annales d'Oto-Laryngologie et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale Bulletin de la Societe d'Oto-Laryngologie des Hopitaux de Paris 110(8): 470-473
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-438X PMID: 8092717 Document Number: 411038
The authors have developed an animal model for the electrophysiological investigation of the blink reflex. The justification for such investigations and the experimental protocol were presented. The authors studied the blick reflex with electromyographic recordings obtained after the stimulation of the supra orbital nerve (V1) in the awake rat and in the anaesthesized rat. Two components of the reflex, R1 and R2 were observed. The early component, R1 was ipsilateral to the stimulus. It was observed whatever the degree of anaesthesia. The R2 component came later and was only observed in awake or weakly anaesthesized rats. It appeared to be isolated and unprecedented by an R1 component when the contralateral supra orbital nerve was stimulated. The R1 responses were facilitated by prior ipsilateral or contralateral stimulation of V1.