Effect of hemispheral lesions on the contralateral blink reflex

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Abstract
Electrical stimulation of the supraorbital nerve on one side evokes early reflex contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle ipsilaterally (R1) and late reflexes bilaterally (direct and consensual R2). In eight of 51 patients with unilateral hemispheral lesion, both direct and consensual R2 were absent when the affected side of the face was stimulated. In the others, alteration of R2 was most noticeable in those with sensory and motor deficit on the affected side. Both the direct and consensual R2 obtained by stimulation on the affected side were slower in latency, smaller in amplitude, and shorter in duration cornpared with responses evoked by stimulating the normal side. Our findings indicate that R2 is affected significantly by a contralateral hemispheric lesion, in contrast to the alteration of R1, which is relatively specific to pontine involvement.

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