Introduction:

Nerve conduction studies have become a simple and reliable test of peripheral nerve function. Nerve conduction study assesses peripheral motor and sensory functions by recording the evoked response to electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. There are several factors which may influence nerve conduction study such as temperature, age, height, body mass index (BMI). They have to be taken into consideration while doing nerve conduction study.

Aim and Objective:

The aim of present study was to evaluate effect of age and gender on nerve conduction in Median and Ulnar Nerves of Upper Limb in normal healthy adult individuals.

Material and Method:

The study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical sciences and Research, Mullana (Ambala). The study comprised of 200 healthy subjects between the age group of 16–55 years consisting of equal number of males and females. The equipment used was Allengers Scorpio EMG EP NCS system provided by Allengers Medical System Limited, Chandigarh. Compound Muscle Action potential (CMAP) and Sensory Nerve Action Potential (SNAP) of Median and Ulnar nerve were recorded using standardized technique.

Result and conclusion:

From our study, we found out that age has a definite and significant effect on various parameters of nerve conduction study. With increasing age latency increases and amplitude and conduction velocity decreases. The influence of aging is attributed to a decreased number of nerve fibres, reduction in fibre diameter and changes in the fibre membrane.

Gender also affects various parameters of nerve conduction study. The latency tends to be greater in males than females whereas, the nerve conduction velocity is greater in females. The amplitude in sensory nerves is higher in females. Gender difference in nerve conduction parameters can be explained on the basis of gender wise differences in anatomical and physiological factors. This difference in parameters can also be due to greater height and limb length in males.

We concluded that age and gender have definite and significant influence on nerve conduction and these factors have to be taken into consideration while doing nerve conduction study.