ICNApedia - 5. Oral Medications for the Treatment of Spasticity

Article Index

5. Oral Medications for the Treatment of Spasticity
Physiologic Basis of Antispasticity Medications
Spinal Effector Mechanisms
Myotactic Reflex
Primary and Secondary Antispasticity Drugs
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Diazepam
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Diazepam (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Diazepam (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Baclofen
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Baclofen (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Baclofen (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Dantrolene
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Dantrolene (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Dantrolene (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Tizanidine
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Tizanidine (cont)
Primary Oral/Systemic Agents: Tizanidine (cont)
Secondary Oral/Systemic Agents
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The sense organ for the myotactic reflex is the muscle spindle. Stretch of the muscle spindle stimulates primary Ia afferents that enter the cord through the sensory dorsal roots.

These Ia fibers synapse directly on the alpha motor neurons that fire and cause the stretched muscle to contract. The resistance of a muscle to stretch is called tone. Transection of the motor nerves to muscle produces flaccidity.

Hyperactive stretch reflexes result in a hypertonic or spastic muscle. This slide illustrates the site of action of various drugs (discussed in the following slides) used in the treatment of spasticity.