The acoustic blink reflex: Stimulus dependence, excitability and localizing value

Abstract

The acoustic blink reflex was examined in 26 subjects with open eyes and 20 subjects with closed eyes by means of an electrooculogram. Amplitude and excitability are highly dependent on the loudness of the stimulus used and on the opening or closure of the eyelids. Particularly if the eyes are closed, it may be necessary to use a stimulus of high (105-110 dB SPL) intensity (hand-clapping is often not loud enough). If an acoustic blink reflex can be elicited, it can be assumed that certain pontine and mesencephalic structures are intact.

Blink Reflexes Elicited by Electrical, Acoustic and Visual Stimuli

“…Our results and those of Rushworth. however, are in contrast to the opinion of Saring and v. Cramon [1981] who described the latency of the eye blink to be independent from the stimulus intensity and the interstimulus in terval. These findings arc very surprising since they consider, like other authors [Fox, 1978;Gogan, 1970], the acoustically elicited blink reflex to be a consistent part of the star tle reaction.…”

Effects of Stimulus Intensity on Laryngeal Long Latency Responses in Awake Humans

“…The late blink response is thought to be a polysynaptic pathway involving several interneurons in the reticular formation from the rostral part of the medulla to the pons. 34,35 The early and late blink responses are thought to involve some of the same interneurons in both their pathways in the cat. 33 The proportionately later R2 response for the adductor glottal response suggests that the late laryngeal response may have a more diffuse pathway than that for the late response of the blink reflex.…”