Effects of vibration stimulus on lower-jaw-position sensation in patients with cerebral palsy during inhalation of laughing gas

These results suggest the following: the combination of LG for sedation with vibration stimulus further inhibits neuronal functions at the upper level of the central nervous system in CP patients, compared with cases in which each variable is applied separately, and the combination also inhibits the sustained increase in muscle tonus, which is characteristic of CP patients. LG reduces the activity of γ-motor neurons via the upper level of the central nervous system. In addition, tonic vibration reflex (TVR) develops due to the vibration stimulus, which increases the threshold value of sensitive muscle sensation and decreases the activity of γ-motor neurons, and furthermore decreases the activity of muscle spindles attached to the lower jaw. Consequently, a tendency toward increased ability to discriminate lower-jaw position is observed.