Patterned ballistic movements triggered by a startle in healthy humans

• Published in: The Journal of physiology Vol. 516; no. 3; pp. 931 - 938
• Main Authors: Valls‐Solé, Josep, Rothwell, John C., Goulart, Fatima, Cossu, Giovanni, Muñoz, Esteban
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK The Physiological Society 01.05.1999; Blackwell Science Ltd; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Electromyography; Female; Humans; Male; Movement - physiology; Original; Reaction Time - physiology; Reflex, Startle - physiology; Wrist - innervation; Wrist - physiology

The reaction time to a visual stimulus shortens significantly when an unexpected acoustic startle is delivered together with the ‘go’ signal in healthy human subjects. In this paper we have investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying this effect. If the commands for the startle and the...