Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41916881›Full record

ArticleMuscle & nerve2026

Utility of Far-Field Potentials as a Biomarker of Neurodegeneration in Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Aicee Dawn Calma, Nathan Pavey, Cláudia Santos Silva, Yukiko Tsuji, Amirul Ab Ghapar, Katrina Morris, Matthew C Kiernan, Michelle A Farrar, Parvathi Menon, Steve Vucic

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Article in Muscle & nerve, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Aicee Dawn CalmaBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7243-644X
Nathan PaveyBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Cláudia Santos SilvaBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4495-6314
Yukiko TsujiBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5805-0631
Amirul Ab GhaparBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Katrina MorrisDepartment of Neurosciences, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Matthew C KiernanNeuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Michelle A FarrarDepartment of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Parvathi MenonBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6935-5852
Steve VucicBrain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8323-873X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

INTRODUCTION/

aimsFar field potentials (FFP) have been proposed as a reliable neurophysiological prognostic biomarker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study evaluated the utility of ulnar nerve FFP as a robust research biomarker of lower motor neuron degeneration in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

methodsPeripheral neurophysiological assessments were performed in 13 participants with SMA, 19 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and 19 healthy controls. The ulnar nerve was stimulated at the wrist, and motor responses were recorded over the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscle. Recorded measures included compound muscle action potential (CMAP), FFP and near-field potential (NFP) amplitudes, and motor unit number index (MUNIX).

resultsThe FFP amplitude was significantly lower in SMA participants compared to healthy volunteers (p < 0.001), but comparable to ALS (p = 0.11). The FFP amplitude showed strong correlations with the Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) (ρ = 0.92), ALS Functional Rating Score-Revised (ρ = 0.85), upper limb MRC score (ρ = 0.89), CMAP amplitude (ρ = 0.97), NFP amplitude (ρ = 0.88), and MUNIX values (ρ = 0.84), all of which were highly statistically significant. Multiple linear regression indicated that FFP amplitude was an independent predictor of RULM (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: FFP amplitude appears to be a promising neurophysiological biomarker for SMA, with potential utility for monitoring disease progression, particularly in a clinical trial setting.

Indexed as

Action PotentialsAmyotrophic Lateral SclerosisMuscular Atrophy, SpinalNerve DegenerationAdultAgedBiomarkersElectromyographyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotor NeuronsMuscle, SkeletalNerve Conduction StudiesUlnar NerveBiomarkersCMAPfar‐field potentialnear‐field potentialspinal muscular atrophy

Identifiers

PMID41916881
PMCPMC13138360

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.