Interaction of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to motoneurons in man

1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (12) ◽  
pp. 1562-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parveen Bawa
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Tibialis Anterior Muscle ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Lower Threshold ◽  
Tendon Vibration ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Human Tendon ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Synaptic Effects

Two separate paradigms were used to study the interaction of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the motoneuron pools of lower leg muscles in human subjects. During inhibition of tibialis anterior muscle from Ia soleus afferents, the probability of firing of the higher threshold unit decreased more than that of the lower threshold unit in 14 out of 18 pairs. When soleus motor units were recruited by tendon vibration reflex and the subject voluntarily inhibited one unit, the higher threshold unit was silenced first in 55 pairs, whereas the lower threshold unit ceased firing first in 29 pairs, and 16 showed inconsistencies. It is concluded that although under standard conditions there is orderly derecruitment of units which is the reverse of recruitment, vibration of the intact human tendon brings about synaptic effects in the spinal cord which affect the normal patterns of recruitment and derecruitment of motor units.

scholarly journals Motor unit activity, force steadiness, and perceived fatigability are correlated with mobility in older adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 1988-1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diba Mani ◽  
Awad M. Almuklass ◽  
Landon D. Hamilton ◽  
Taian M. Vieira ◽  
Alberto Botter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Discharge Characteristics ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Force Steadiness ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Chair Rise ◽  
Walking Endurance

The purpose of our study was to examine the associations between the performance of older adults on four tests of mobility and the physical capabilities of the lower leg muscles. The assessments included measures of muscle strength, muscle activation, and perceived fatigability. Muscle activation was quantified as the force fluctuations—a measure of force steadiness—and motor unit discharge characteristics of lower leg muscles during submaximal isometric contractions. Perceived fatigability was measured as the rating of perceived exertion achieved during a test of walking endurance. Twenty participants (73 ± 4 yr) completed one to four evaluation sessions that were separated by at least 3 wk. The protocol included a 400-m walk, a 10-m walk at maximal and preferred speeds, a chair-rise test, and the strength, force steadiness, and discharge characteristics of motor units detected by high-density electromyography of lower leg muscles. Multiple-regression analyses yielded statistically significant models that explained modest amounts of the variance in the four mobility tests. The variance explained by the regression models was 39% for 400-m walk time, 33% for maximal walk time, 42% for preferred walk time, and 27% for chair-rise time. The findings indicate that differences in mobility among healthy older adults were partially associated with the level of perceived fatigability (willingness of individuals to exert themselves) achieved during the test of walking endurance and the discharge characteristics of soleus, medial gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior motor units during steady submaximal contractions with the plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscles. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Differences among healthy older adults in walking endurance, walking speed, and ability to rise from a chair can be partially explained by the performance capabilities of lower leg muscles. Assessments comprised the willingness to exert effort (perceived fatigability) and the discharge times of action potentials by motor units in calf muscles during submaximal isometric contractions. These findings indicate that the nervous system contributes significantly to differences in mobility among healthy older adults.

scholarly journals Macro-Microscopic Features of the Leg Muscles Innervation

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 80-84
Author(s):  
A. O. Tereshchenko ◽  
◽  
D. M. Shyian ◽  
S. O. Olyanich ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Extensor Digitorum Longus ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Extensor Digitorum ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Intramuscular Nerves ◽  
Microscopic Features ◽  
The Individual

The purpose of the study was to disclose topographic anatomical features of the extra- and intramuscular innervation points of the leg. Materials and methods. 15 adult human subjects and one-month old baby legs at three levels were studied using such methods: cross-sections according to N.I. Pirogov technique, histotopographic sections, macro-microscopic method, histological staining with hematoxylin-eosin and Krutsay. Results. In our macro-microscopic study, the main attention was paid to the individual anatomical variability in the innervation of the lower leg muscles. Study of the nerves of the leg muscles allowed to clarify the course of the neurovascular bundle of the leg at its three levels, taking into account individual age characteristics, and also to show the myeloarchitectonics of both the main nerve trunks and their intramuscular branches. Such differences in the location of the leg muscles of an adult and of one month-old baby undoubtedly related to the fact that the child’s muscular belly is longer in relation to the tendon. The histotopography of intramuscular nerves on total transverse sections of antagonistic muscles was studied: flexor and extensor digitorum longus, longus flexor and extensor of the big toe, and also the spectrum of myelin fibers contained in these nerves in a one-month-old baby and an adult was investigated. On histotopographic sections of the extensor digitorum longus nerve in a one-month-old baby, thick-diameter myelin fibers are absent, whereas in the long finger flexor nerve, on average, they are 0.5%. The number of thin and medium is respectively 8%, 13% and 83.5%, 16%. However, we have determined individual anatomical variability in the location of the vessels in relation to the main nerve trunks, as well as differences in the topography of the nerve in the corresponding muscles. Conclusion. In the nerves of the leg muscles, features were found, both in quantitative and qualitative composition of the conductors forming them; in the nerves of the flexor muscles, the composition of the nerve fibers is more diverse (with a slight predominance of the number of medium, thick and very thick fibers), which is associated with the peculiarity of their functions; in adulthood, the % ratio in the spectrum of myelin fibers in the nerves of the lower leg changes significantly

Asymmetrical Neural Adaptation in Lower Leg Muscles as a Consequence of Stereotypical Motor Training

2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuya Ogawa ◽  
Noritaka Kawashima ◽  
Shuji Suzuki ◽  
Kimitaka Nakazawa
Keyword(s):  
Lower Leg ◽  
Neural Adaptation ◽  
Motor Training ◽  
Leg Muscles

Changes in muscle fiber conduction velocity indicate recruitment of distinct motor unit populations

2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 1045-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Houtman ◽  
D. F. Stegeman ◽  
J. P. Van Dijk ◽  
M. J. Zwarts
Keyword(s):  
Conduction Velocity ◽  
Muscle Fiber ◽  
Tibialis Anterior Muscle ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Type I ◽  
Muscle Fiber Conduction Velocity ◽  
Depth Study

To obtain more insight into the changes in mean muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) during sustained isometric exercise at relatively low contraction levels, we performed an in-depth study of the human tibialis anterior muscle by using multichannel surface electromyogram. The results show an increase in MFCV after an initial decrease of MFCV at 30 or 40% maximum voluntary contraction in all of the five subjects studied. With a peak velocity analysis, we calculated the distribution of conduction velocities of action potentials in the bipolar electromyogram signal. It shows two populations of peak velocities occurring simultaneously halfway through the exercise. The MFCV pattern implies the recruitment of two different populations of motor units. Because of the lowering of MFCV of the first activated population of motor units, the newly recruited second population of motor units becomes visible. It is most likely that the MFCV pattern can be ascribed to the fatiguing of already recruited predominantly type I motor units, followed by the recruitment of fresh, predominantly type II, motor units.

Pain-induced changes in motor unit discharge depend on recruitment threshold and contraction speed

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Martinez-Valdes ◽  
Francesco Negro ◽  
Michail Arvanitidis ◽  
Dario Farina ◽  
Deborah Falla
Keyword(s):  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Tibialis Anterior Muscle ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Recruitment Threshold ◽  
Contraction Speed ◽  
Discharge Rates ◽  
Hypertonic Saline Injection

At high forces, the discharge rates of lower and higher threshold motor units (MU) are influenced in a different way by muscle pain. These differential effects may be particularly important for performing contractions at different speeds since the proportion of lower and higher threshold MUs recruited varies with contraction velocity. We investigated whether MU discharge and recruitment strategies are differentially affected by pain depending on their recruitment threshold (RT), across a range of contraction speeds. Participants performed ankle dorsiflexion sinusoidal-isometric contractions at two frequencies (0.25Hz and 1Hz) and two modulation amplitudes [5% and 10% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)] with a mean target torque of 20%MVC. High-density surface electromyography recordings from the tibialis anterior muscle were decomposed and the same MUs were tracked across painful (hypertonic saline injection) and non-painful conditions. Torque variability, mean discharge rate (MDR), DR variability (DRvar), RT and the delay between the cumulative spike train and the resultant torque output (neuromechanical delay, NMD) were assessed. The average RT was greater at faster contraction velocities (p=0.01) but was not affected by pain. At the fastest contraction speed, torque variability and DRvar were reduced (p<0.05) and MDR was maintained. Conversely, MDR decreased and DRvar and NMD increased significantly during pain at slow contraction speeds (p<0.05). These results show that reductions in contraction amplitude and increased recruitment of higher threshold MUs at fast contraction speeds appears to compensate for the inhibitory effect of nociceptive inputs on lower threshold MUs, allowing the exertion of fast submaximal contractions during pain.

scholarly journals The innervation and organization of motor units in a series-fibered human muscle: the brachioradialis

2010 ◽  
Vol 108 (6) ◽  
pp. 1530-1541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoia C. Lateva ◽  
Kevin C. McGill ◽  
M. Elise Johanson
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Standing Waves ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Human Muscle ◽  
Motor Unit Action Potential ◽  
Distal Muscle ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
Motor Unit Action ◽  
Unit Action ◽  
Individual Motor

We studied the innervation and organization of motor units in the brachioradialis muscle of 25 normal human subjects. We recorded intramuscular EMG signals at points separated by 15 mm along the proximodistal muscle axis during moderate isometric contractions, identified from 27 to 61 (mean 39) individual motor units per subject using EMG decomposition, and estimated the locations of the endplates and distal muscle/tendon junctions from the motor-unit action potential (MUAP) propagation patterns and terminal standing waves. In three subjects all the motor units were innervated in a single endplate zone. In the other 22 subjects, the motor units were innervated in 3–6 (mean 4) distinct endplate zones separated by 15–55 mm along the proximodistal axis. One-third of the motor units had fibers innervated in more than one zone. The more distally innervated motor units had distinct terminal waves indicating tendonous termination, while the more proximal motor units lacked terminal waves, indicating intrafascicular termination. Analysis of blocked MUAP components revealed that 19% of the motor units had at least one doubly innervated fiber, i.e., a fiber innervated in two different endplate zones by two different motoneurons, and thus belonging to two different motor units. These results are consistent with the brachioradialis muscle having a series-fibered architecture consisting of multiple, overlapping bands of muscle fibers in most individuals and a simple parallel-fibered architecture in some individuals.

Long-Lasting Changes in Muscle Twitch Force During Simulated Work While Standing or Walking

2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1117-1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Gabriela Garcia ◽  
Rudolf Wall ◽  
Benjamin Steinhilber ◽  
Thomas Läubli ◽  
Bernard J. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Function ◽  
Signal Amplitude ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Muscle Twitch ◽  
Prolonged Standing ◽  
Twitch Force ◽  
Slow Pace ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Ergonomic Interventions ◽  
Hard Floor

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-lasting effects of prolonged standing work on a hard floor or floor mat and slow-pace walking on muscle twitch force (MTF) elicited by electrical stimulation. Background: Prolonged standing work may alter lower-leg muscle function, which can be quantified by changes in the MTF amplitude and duration related to muscle fatigue. Ergonomic interventions have been proposed to mitigate fatigue and discomfort; however, their influences remain controversial. Method: Ten men and eight women simulated standing work in 320-min experiments with three conditions: standing on a hard floor or an antifatigue mat and walking on a treadmill, each including three seated rest breaks. MTF in the gastrocnemius-soleus muscles was evaluated through changes in signal amplitude and duration. Results: The significant decrease of MTF amplitude and an increase of duration after standing work on a hard floor and on a mat persisted beyond 1 hr postwork. During walking, significant MTF metrics changes appeared 30 min postwork. MTF amplitude decrease was not significant after the first 110 min in any of the conditions; however, MTF duration was significantly higher than baseline in the standing conditions. Conclusion: Similar long-lasting weakening of MTF was induced by standing on a hard floor and on an antifatigue mat. However, walking partially attenuated this phenomenon. Application: Mostly static standing is likely to contribute to alterations of MTF in lower-leg muscles and potentially to musculoskeletal disorders regardless of the flooring characteristics. Occupational activities including slow-pace walking may reduce such deterioration in muscle function.

On the Subject of Human Subjects

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 730
Author(s):  
Dana J. Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
The Subject

Changes of Tissue PO2 in the Lower Leg Muscles after Vascular Surgery

1992 ◽  
pp. 885-892
Author(s):  
K. Wagner ◽  
U. Krüger ◽  
R. Schäfer ◽  
M. Albrecht ◽  
G. Hohlbach
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Surgery ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Tissue Po2

scholarly journals Podmiot w paradygmacie relacji ekosystemowej

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 305-316
Author(s):  
Krysytna Najder-Stefaniak
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Ecological Paradigm ◽  
The Subject

The paper presents the notion of human subjects. The author emphasizes the fact, that the thinking in ecological paradigm demand of own notion of the subject so as to substantiate the notion of responsibility and creative possibility of man. Autor state that in thinking the metaphor of an ecosystem is indispensable the notion of subjectivity fits in with the nation of man.

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