scholarly journals Passive muscle stretching reduces estimates of persistent inward current strength in soleus motor units

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel S. Trajano ◽  
Janet L. Taylor ◽  
Lucas B. R. Orssatto ◽  
Craig R. McNulty ◽  
Anthony J. Blazevich
Keyword(s):  
Control Period ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Current Strength ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Muscle Stretching ◽  
Inward Currents ◽  
Amplification Mechanism ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Passive Muscle

ABSTRACTProlonged (≥60 s) passive muscle stretching acutely reduces maximal force production at least partly through a suppression of efferent neural drive. The origin of this neural suppression has not been determined, however some evidence suggests that reductions in the amplitude of persistent inward currents (PICs) in the motoneurons may be important. The aim of the present study was to determine whether acute passive (static) muscle stretching affects PIC strength in gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and soleus (SOL) motor units. We calculated the difference in instantaneous discharge rates at recruitment and derecruitment (ΔF) for pairs of motor units in GM and SOL during triangular isometric plantar flexor contractions (20% maximum) both before and immediately after a 5-min control period and immediately after five 1-min passive plantar flexor stretches. After stretching there was a significant reduction in SOL ΔF (−25.6%; 95%CI = -45.1 to -9.1 %, p=0.002) but not GM ΔF. These data suggest passive muscle stretching can reduce the intrinsic excitability, via PICs, of SOL motor units. These findings (1) suggest that PIC strength might be reduced after passive stretching, (2) are consistent with previously-established post-stretch decreases in SOL but not GM EMG amplitudes during contraction, and (3) indicate that reductions in PIC strength could underpin the stretch-induced force loss.SUMMARY STATEMENTMotoneurons require an amplification mechanism to operate within the firing frequencies observed during normal motor behaviour. Here we present evidence that this amplification mechanism is reduced after passive muscle stretching.

scholarly journals Passive muscle stretching reduces estimates of persistent inward current strength in soleus motor units

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (21) ◽  
pp. jeb229922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel S. Trajano ◽  
Janet L. Taylor ◽  
Lucas B. R. Orssatto ◽  
Craig R. McNulty ◽  
Anthony J. Blazevich
Keyword(s):  
Control Period ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Current Strength ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Muscle Stretching ◽  
Discharge Rates ◽  
Inward Currents ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Passive Muscle

ABSTRACTProlonged (≥60 s) passive muscle stretching acutely reduces maximal force production at least partly through a suppression of efferent neural drive. The origin of this neural suppression has not been determined; however, some evidence suggests that reductions in the amplitude of persistent inward currents (PICs) in the motoneurons may be important. The aim of the present study was to determine whether acute passive (static) muscle stretching affects PIC strength in gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and soleus (SOL) motor units. We calculated the difference in instantaneous discharge rates at recruitment and de-recruitment (ΔF) for pairs of motor units in GM and SOL during triangular isometric plantar flexor contractions (20% maximum) both before and immediately after a 5 min control period and immediately after five 1 min passive plantar flexor stretches. After stretching, there was a significant reduction in SOL ΔF (−25.6%; 95% confidence interval, CI=−45.1% to −9.1%, P=0.002) but not GM ΔF. These data suggest passive muscle stretching can reduce the intrinsic excitability, via PICs, of SOL motor units. These findings (1) suggest that PIC strength might be reduced after passive stretching, (2) are consistent with previously established post-stretch decreases in SOL but not GM EMG amplitude during contraction, and (3) indicate that reductions in PIC strength could underpin the stretch-induced force loss.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Contribution of Intrinsic Currents to Motoneuron Firing Based on Paired Motoneuron Discharge Records in the Decerebrate Cat

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 292-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall K. Powers ◽  
Paul Nardelli ◽  
T. C. Cope
Keyword(s):  
Firing Rate ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Unit Discharge ◽  
Decerebrate Cat ◽  
Persistent Inward Currents ◽  
Quantitative Estimates ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Inward Currents ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Synaptic Drive

Motoneuron activation is strongly influenced by persistent inward currents (PICs) flowing through voltage-sensitive channels. PIC characteristics and their contribution to the control of motoneuron firing rate have been extensively described in reduced animal preparations, but their contribution to rate modulation in human motoneurons is controversial. It has recently been proposed that the analysis of discharge records of a simultaneously recorded pair of motor units can be used to make quantitative estimates of the PIC contribution, based on the assumption that the firing rate of an early recruited (reporter) unit can be used as a measure of the synaptic drive to a later recruited (test) unit. If the test unit's discharge is augmented by PICs, less synaptic drive will be required to sustain discharge than required to initially recruit it, and the difference in reporter unit discharge (Δ F) at test recruitment and de-recruitment is a measure of the size of the PIC contribution. We applied this analysis to discharge records of pairs of motoneurons in the decerebrate cat preparation, in which motoneuron PICs have been well-characterized and are known to be prominent. Mean Δ F values were positive in 58/63 pairs, and were significantly greater than zero in 40/63 pairs, as would be expected based on PIC characteristics recorded in this preparation. However, several lines of evidence suggest that the Δ F value obtained in a particular motoneuron pair may depend on a number of factors other than the PIC contribution to firing rate.

Passive muscle stretching impairs rapid force production and neuromuscular function in human plantar flexors

2019 ◽  
Vol 119 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 2673-2684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel S. Trajano ◽  
Laurent B. Seitz ◽  
Kazunori Nosaka ◽  
Anthony J. Blazevich
Keyword(s):  
Force Production ◽  
Neuromuscular Function ◽  
Plantar Flexors ◽  
Muscle Stretching ◽  
Passive Muscle

scholarly journals Effects of persistent inward currents, accommodation, and adaptation on motor unit behavior: a simulation study

2011 ◽  
Vol 106 (3) ◽  
pp. 1467-1479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann L. Revill ◽  
Andrew J. Fuglevand
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Synaptic Input ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Intrinsic Properties ◽  
Persistent Inward Currents ◽  
Nonlinear Properties ◽  
Contraction Duration ◽  
Inward Currents ◽  
The Difference

Motor neurons are often assumed to generate spikes in proportion to the excitatory synaptic input received. There are, however, many intrinsic properties of motor neurons that might affect this relationship, such as persistent inward currents (PICs), spike-threshold accommodation, or spike-frequency adaptation. These nonlinear properties have been investigated in reduced animal preparation but have not been well studied during natural motor behaviors because of the difficulty in characterizing synaptic input in intact animals. Therefore, we studied the influence of each of these intrinsic properties on spiking responses and muscle force using a population model of motor units that simulates voluntary contractions in human subjects. In particular, we focused on the difference in firing rate of low-threshold motor units when higher threshold motor units were recruited and subsequently derecruited, referred to as ΔF. Others have used ΔF to evaluate the extent of PIC activation during voluntary behavior. Our results showed that positive ΔF values could arise when any one of these nonlinear properties was included in the simulations. Therefore, a positive ΔF should not be considered as exclusive evidence for PIC activation. Furthermore, by systematically varying contraction duration and speed in our simulations, we identified a means that might be used experimentally to distinguish among PICs, accommodation, and adaptation as contributors to ΔF.

scholarly journals Contribution of intrinsic motoneuron properties to discharge hysteresis and its estimation based on paired motor unit recordings: a simulation study

2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall K. Powers ◽  
C. J. Heckman
Keyword(s):  
Firing Rate ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Lower Threshold ◽  
Persistent Inward Currents ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Inward Currents ◽  
Motoneuron Activity ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Excitatory Drive

Motoneuron activity is strongly influenced by the activation of persistent inward currents (PICs) mediated by voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels. However, the amount of PIC contribution to the activation of human motoneurons can only be estimated indirectly. Simultaneous recordings of pairs of motor units have been used to provide an estimate of the PIC contribution by using the firing rate of the lower threshold unit to provide an estimate of the common synaptic drive to both units, and the difference in firing rate (ΔF) of this lower threshold unit at recruitment and de-recruitment of the higher threshold unit to estimate the PIC contribution to activation of the higher threshold unit. It has recently been suggested that a number of factors other than PIC can contribute to ΔF values, including mechanisms underlying spike frequency adaptation and spike threshold accommodation. In the present study, we used a set of compartmental models representing a sample of 20 motoneurons with a range of thresholds to investigate how several different intrinsic motoneuron properties can potentially contribute to variations in ΔF values. We drove the models with linearly increasing and decreasing noisy conductance commands of different rate of rise and duration and determined the influence of different intrinsic mechanisms on discharge hysteresis (the difference in excitatory drive at recruitment and de-recruitment) and ΔF. Our results indicate that, although other factors can contribute, variations in discharge hysteresis and ΔF values primarily reflect the contribution of dendritic PICs to motoneuron activation.

scholarly journals Plantar flexor muscle stretching depresses the soleus late response but not tendon tap reflexes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy S. Pulverenti ◽  
Gabriel S. Trajano ◽  
Benjamin J. C. Kirk ◽  
Vanesa Bochkezanian ◽  
Anthony J. Blazevich
Keyword(s):  
Late Response ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Muscle Stretching ◽  
Tendon Tap

Limits to the Control of the Human Thumb and Fingers in Flexion and Extension

2010 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 278-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Yu ◽  
H. van Duinen ◽  
S. C. Gandevia
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Neural Control ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Neural Drive ◽  
Antagonist Muscles ◽  
Hand Performance ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Flexion And Extension

In humans, hand performance has evolved from a crude multidigit grasp to skilled individuated finger movements. However, control of the fingers is not completely independent. Although musculotendinous factors can limit independent movements, constraints in supraspinal control are more important. Most previous studies examined either flexion or extension of the digits. We studied differences in voluntary force production by the five digits, in both flexion and extension tasks. Eleven healthy subjects were instructed either to maximally flex or extend their digits, in all single- and multidigit combinations. They received visual feedback of total force produced by “instructed” digits and had to ignore “noninstructed” digits. Despite attempts to maximally flex or extend instructed digits, subjects rarely generated their “maximal” force, resulting in a “force deficit,” and produced forces with noninstructed digits (“enslavement”). Subjects performed differently in flexion and extension tasks. Enslavement was greater in extension than in flexion tasks ( P = 0.019), whereas the force deficit in multidigit tasks was smaller in extension ( P = 0.035). The difference between flexion and extension in the relationships between the enslavement and force deficit suggests a difference in balance of spillover of neural drive to agonists acting on neighboring digits and focal neural drive to antagonist muscles. An increase in drive to antagonists would lead to more individualized movements. The pattern of force production matches the daily use of the digits. These results reveal a neural control system that preferentially lifts fingers together by extension but allows an individual digit to flex so that the finger pads can explore and grasp.

Changes in membrane currents of hippocampal neurons evoked by brief anoxia

1989 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Krnjevic ◽  
J. Leblond
Keyword(s):  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Hippocampal Slices ◽  
Reversal Potential ◽  
Outward Current ◽  
Membrane Currents ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Persistent Currents ◽  
Inward Currents ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Conductance Increase

1. Effects of anoxia (2-4 min of 95% N2-5% CO2) on membrane currents of CA1 neurons were studied by single-electrode voltage clamp in hippocampal slices (from Sprague-Dawley rats) kept in an interface-type chamber at 33.5 degree. 2. When recording with KCl electrodes at a holding potential (VH) near-70 mV, anoxia evoked a slow outward current [0.18 +/- 0.06 (SE) nA], accompanied by a conductance increase ( + 46 +/- 20%, mean +/- SE). The difference current evoked by N2 had a reversal potential near-100 mV. It was much smaller in presence of 2-4 mM extracellular Cs, and any remaining outward current was abolished by 10 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA). Only inward currents were observed when recording with CsCl electrodes. 3. Inward relaxations evoked by large hyperpolarizing pulses from VH less than or equal to - 70 mV (Q-type) were not significantly depressed by anoxia (-1.5 +/- 6.0%). 4. Some voltage-dependent outward currents (evoked by 200-ms depolarizing pulses) were depressed during anoxia: 1) a fast-inactivating (A-like) current, obtained at VH less than or equal to -70 mV and suppressed by 200 microM 4-AP, was reduced by 25.6 +/- 7.3% (n = 5); 2) a slower, noninactivating (C-like) current, suppressed by TEA, was reduced by 52 +/- 7.2% (n = 16). Neither of these currents (1 or 2) was observed when recording with 2- to 3-M CsCl electrodes; and 3) small (M-like) inward relaxations, observed at VH approximately -40 mV 5. Net inward currents could be evoked after blockage of GK with 10 mM TEA when recording with KCl electrodes or by recording with CsCl electrodes. At VH less than or equal to -70 mV, large, transient, and incompletely controlled currents were evoked by depolarizing pulses; at VH less than or equal to -50 mV, smaller and more persistent currents were evoked by depolarizing pulses (L-like), and transient currents (T-like?) were seen immediately after hyperpolarizing pulses. 6.L-type currents (at VH less than or equal to -50 mV) were nearly abolished after 1-2 min anoxia (by approximately 90%). This was equally true of the currents evoked by constant pulses or peak currents in I-V plots. After reoxygenation, recovery was biphasic, with a quick early phase (to 50-80% in 2 min) and then a much slower one (to 60-90% by 10-15 min).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Repeated force production and metabolites in two medial gastrocnemius muscle compartments of the rat

1995 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 1855-1861 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. De Ruiter ◽  
A. De Haan ◽  
A. J. Sargeant
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Motor Nerve ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Oxidative Capacity ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Train Duration ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Force Recovery ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Fast Twitch

The most proximal and distal motor nerve branches in the rat medial gastrocnemius innervate discrete muscle compartments dominated by fast-twitch oxidative and fast-twitch glycolytic fibers, respectively. The functional consequences of the difference in oxidative capacity between these compartments were investigated. Wistar rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (90 mg/kg ip). Changes in force of both compartments during 21 isometric contractions (train duration 200 ms, stimulation frequency 120 Hz, 3 s between contractions) were studied in situ with and without blood flow. Without blood flow, force and phosphocreatine declined to a greater extent in the proximal than the distal compartment compared with the run with intact flow. After the protocol without blood flow, when flow was restored, the time constants for force recovery (which were closely associated to the recovery of phosphocreatine) were 37 +/- 7 (SD) (proximal compartment) and 148 +/- 20 s (distal compartment). It was concluded that the proximal compartment had a four times higher oxidative capacity and, therefore, a superior ability for repeated force production.

Mechanisms of decreased motoneurone excitation during passive muscle stretching

2001 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Guissard ◽  
Jacques Duchateau ◽  
Karl Hainaut
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Stretching ◽  
Passive Muscle
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