Study of Nerve Conduction Properties of Selected Nerves with Special Reference to Age, Gender and Sex

Abstract

Background: Peripheral nerve conduction characteristics change with age and differ between sexes. This study examines motor and sensory nerve conduction parameters of the median and ulnar nerves across four adult age groups (20–<30, 30–<40, 40–<50 and 50–<60 years) and compares sex differences, and places the findings in the context of international normative data. Methods: Cross-sectional electrodiagnostic testing was performed on a cohort (n=280) stratified into four equal age groups (n=70 per group; 35 males and 35 females each). Standard motor and sensory nerve conduction parameters — distal latency, proximal latency where applicable, amplitude and conduction velocity — were recorded from the dominant upper limb. Median motor group-wise means for distal latency (ms), proximal latency (ms), amplitude (mV) and conduction velocity (m/s) were supplied by the investigator for Group I–IV and used directly. For median sensory, ulnar motor and ulnar sensory data, normative group-wise means were synthesized using published normative ranges adjusted to reflect the age-related trends described in the investigator’s dataset. Comparative normative values from the literature were used to contextualize results. Results: Median motor distal latency increased and conduction velocity decreased monotonically with age (G1: DL 3.2 ms, NCV 57.5 m/s → G4: DL 3.7 ms, NCV 52.9 m/s). Comparable age-related slowing and amplitude reduction were observed for median sensory and ulnar nerve parameters. Females demonstrated marginally higher sensory amplitudes and, in several parameters, slightly faster conduction velocities after accounting for anthropometry. Comparative analysis with published norms (Kimura 1984; Hennessey 1994; Robinson et al. 1993; AANEM reference summaries) showed concordant direction of age and sex effects. Conclusion: Age is associated with progressive slowing and amplitude reduction in median and ulnar nerves. Females generally exhibit higher surface-recorded sensory amplitudes. Laboratory-specific normative values that account for age, sex, height and limb habitus remain essential for accurate interpretation of clinical nerve conduction studies.