Sag During Unfused Tetanic Contractions in Rat Triceps Surae Motor Units

1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 2647-2661 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Carp ◽  
P. A. Herchenroder ◽  
X. Y. Chen ◽  
J. R. Wolpaw
Keyword(s):  
Relaxation Times ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Contractile Properties ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Initial Increase ◽  
Tetanic Stimulation ◽  
Twitch Contraction ◽  
Time To Peak ◽  
Single Motor Units ◽  
Initial Force

Sag during unfused tetanic contractions in rat triceps surae motor units. Contractile properties and conduction velocity were studied in 202 single motor units of intact rat triceps surae muscles activated by intra-axonal (or intra-myelin) current injection in L5 or L6 ventral root to assess the factors that determine the expression of sag (i.e., decline in force after initial increase during unfused tetanic stimulation). Sag was consistently detected in motor units with unpotentiated twitch contraction times <20 ms. However, the range of frequencies at which sag was expressed varied among motor units such that there was no single interstimulus interval (ISI), with or without adjusting for twitch contraction time, at which sag could be detected reliably. Further analysis indicated that using the absence of sag as a criterion for identifying slow-twitch motor units requires testing with tetani at several different ISIs. In motor units with sag, the shape of the force profile varied with tetanic frequency and contractile properties. Simple sag force profiles (single maximum reached late in the tetanus followed by monotonic decay) tended to occur at shorter ISIs and were observed more frequently in fatigue-resistant motor units with long half-relaxation times and small twitch amplitudes. Complex sag profiles reached an initial maximum early in the tetanus, tended to occur at longer ISIs, and were more common in fatigue-sensitive motor units with long half-relaxation times and large twitch amplitudes. The differences in frequency dependence and force maximum location suggested that these phenomena represented discrete entities. Successive stimuli elicited near-linear increments in force during tetani in motor units that never exhibited sag. In motor units with at least one tetanus displaying sag, tetanic stimulation elicited large initial force increments followed by rapidly decreasing force increments. That the latter force envelope pattern occurred in these units even in tetani without sag suggested that the factors responsible for sag were expressed in the absence of overt sag. The time-to-peak force (TTP) of the individual contractions during a tetanus decreased in tetani with sag. Differences in the pattern of TTP change during a tetanus were consistent with the differences in force maximum location between tetani exhibiting simple and complex sag. Tetani from motor units that never exhibited sag did not display a net decrease in TTP during successive contractions. These data were consistent with the initial force decrement of sag resulting from a transient reduction in the duration of the contractile state.

Properties of motor units after immobilization of cat peroneus longus muscle

1993 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 1131-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Petit ◽  
M. Gioux
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Relaxation Times ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Short Length ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Tetanic Force ◽  
Peroneus Longus ◽  
Single Motor Units ◽  
Longus Muscle ◽  
Selective Immobilization

Changes in contractile properties of cat peroneus longus motor units were studied 2, 5, and 8 wk after selective immobilization of this muscle, which was achieved by fixing the distal tendon of the peroneus longus to the fibula either at the muscle minimal physiological length ("short" length) or at the length for a 90 degree ankle joint ("neutral" length). In each muscle, 75–90% of the units [slow (S), fast resistant to fatigue (FR), fast intermediate (FI), and fast fatigable (FF)] were studied. Immobilization elicited a permanent decrease in tetanic force developed by single motor units, which was larger for resistant-to-fatigue units (S, FR). In most instances this decrease was not related to the immobilization length. In all units, twitch contraction and half-relaxation times underwent a transient increase, the extent and time course of which were influenced by immobilization length. The relationship between the frequency of motor units activation and the ratio of unfused to maximal tetanic force was studied. For fast units, there was a transient shift of the relation toward low frequencies after 2 and 5 wk of immobilization at neutral and short length, respectively.

Motoneuron electrophysiological and muscle contractile properties of superior oblique motor units in cat

1986 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 715-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Nelson ◽  
S. J. Goldberg ◽  
J. R. McClung
Keyword(s):  
Conduction Velocity ◽  
Stimulus Frequency ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Contractile Properties ◽  
Oblique Muscle ◽  
Inferior Oblique Muscle ◽  
Homogeneous Population ◽  
Single Motor Units ◽  
Superior Oblique

Intracellular techniques were used to study single motor units of the trochlear nucleus and superior oblique muscle in the cat. Motoneuron electrophysiological properties were correlated with muscle-unit contractile characteristics assessed under isometric conditions. Two distinct motor-unit types were identified and designated as twitch and nontwitch. Nontwitch units made up 5% of the total population studied. They responded only to tetanic stimulation with graded force that increased as stimulus frequency was increased up to 300-400 Hz. These units made up a homogeneous population in that they were innervated by slowly conducting axons, produced weak tetanic tensions, and were extremely fatigue resistant. Twitch units made up the majority (95%) of units studied. These units responded to single pulse stimulation with typical twitch contractions. The contraction speed and tension ranges for these units were comparable with those obtained from other extraocular muscle single units. Superior oblique twitch units, mechanically comparable with multiply innervated conducting units, identified in the cat inferior oblique muscle (31) were not observed. The twitch-unit population was heterogeneous in terms of neuromuscular fatigue resistance. Unit fatigability was inversely related to maximal tetanic tension. Motoneuron conduction velocity was related to muscle-unit contractile properties in a way similar to that seen in extremity motor units. The slowest twitch units were weak, fatigue resistant, and innervated by slow conducting axons. The fastest units were, in general, innervated by faster conducting axons, produced greater tetanic tensions, and were more susceptible to fatigue. Correlations among input resistance, rheobase, and conduction velocity were also observed. At present, subdivisions of the twitch-unit population on the basis of any one or combination of unit properties does not seem appropriate.

Velocity of shortening of single motor units from rat soleus

1992 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 1133-1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Devasahayam ◽  
T. G. Sandercock
Keyword(s):  
Motor Unit ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Surrounding Tissue ◽  
Passive Tension ◽  
Contraction Time ◽  
Single Motor ◽  
Twitch Contraction ◽  
Single Motor Units ◽  
Velocity Of Shortening ◽  
Force Velocity

1. The force-velocity relationship of a motor unit can provide insight into the contractile proteins of its constituent fibers as well as fundamental information about the function and use of the motor unit. Although the force-velocity profiles of whole muscle and skinned mammalian fibers have been studied, technical difficulties have prevented similar studies on motor units. A technique is presented to directly measure the velocity of shortening of individual motor units from in vivo rat soleus muscle. 2. The soleus muscles of anesthetized rats were dissected free of surrounding tissue while their nerve and blood supplies were preserved. Both tendons were cut, and the distal tendon was attached to a servomechanism to control muscle length, whereas the proximal tendon was attached to a force transducer. Single motor units were stimulated via the ventral roots. 3. The major problem encountered in measuring the force-velocity profile of a motor unit was that the force from the large number of passive fibers and connective tissue in the soleus confounded the force produced by the small number of active fibers in the motor unit. This problem was minimized by measuring active motor unit tension during an isovelocity ramp. This allowed experimental measurement of the passive tension by shortening the muscle with an identical isovelocity ramp without, however, stimulating the motor unit. Active tension was estimated by subtracting the passive tension waveform from the waveform recorded when the motor unit was active. 4. The method substantially reduced the noise from the passive fibers; however, problems remained. The probable sources of error are discussed, with the most significant being the elasticity associated with the blood and nerve connections to surrounding tissue. The elasticity prevents uniform shortening velocities along the length of the active fibers, thereby introducing a systematic bias to measurements made at high velocities. These errors are most pronounced when the data are extrapolated to determine the maximum velocity of shortening (Vmax). Determination of velocity at peak power (Vpp) is a more robust measure; however, of the 34 motor units studied, only 19 exhibited a distinct peak in the power-force curve, indicating residual noise. 5. To assess the validity of using twitch contraction time as an index of the velocity of shortening, when possible, Vmax and Vpp of each motor unit were correlated with the inverse of its twitch contraction time. The correlation was poor (r less than 0.2), indicating that, although widely used, twitch contraction time is a poor index of contractile speed.

MHC composition and enzyme-histochemical and physiological properties of a novel fast-twitch motor unit type

1991 ◽  
Vol 261 (1) ◽  
pp. C93-C101 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Larsson ◽  
L. Edstrom ◽  
B. Lindegren ◽  
L. Gorza ◽  
S. Schiaffino
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Tibialis Anterior Muscle ◽  
Muscle Fibers ◽  
Relaxation Times ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Biochemical Properties ◽  
The Other ◽  
Glycogen Depletion ◽  
Single Motor Units ◽  
Fast Twitch

Determinations of fatigue ratio, twitch and tetanus tension, and contraction and half-relaxation times of the isometric twitch were made in 21 single fast-twitch motor units from the rat tibialis anterior muscle. Single motor units were functionally isolated by microdissection of the ventral root, and the glycogen depletion technique was used to demonstrate the muscle fibers in the unit. Morphological and immuno- and enzyme-histochemical methods were applied to serial muscle cross sections to characterize the muscle fibers in the unit. Three of the units had muscle fibers of the IIa type according to staining both for myofibrillar adenosinetriphosphatase after acid preincubation and with the use of monoclonal antibodies specific for myosin heavy chains (MHCs), i.e., the IIa-MHC isoform. The other 18 units were of the IIb type according to enzyme-histochemistry, but immunohistochemistry showed that in six of these units the muscle fibers exhibited the novel type IIx-MHC isoform and in the other 12 units the IIb-MHC isoform. It was found that the IIx motor units have contraction and half-relaxation times similar to those of types IIa and IIb units but have morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties that distinguish them from the latter two types.

Whole-Muscle and Motor-Unit Contractile Properties of the Styloglossus Muscle in Rat

1999 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 584-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Sutlive ◽  
J. Ross McClung ◽  
Stephen J. Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Motor Units ◽  
Contractile Properties ◽  
Contraction Time ◽  
Fusion Frequency ◽  
Single Motor Units ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Whole Muscle ◽  
Tetanic Tension ◽  
Contractile Characteristics ◽  
Stimulation Of

Investigations of whole muscle and motor-unit contractile properties have provided valuable information for our understanding of the spinal cord and extraocular motor systems. However, no previous investigation has examined these properties in an isolated tongue muscle. The purpose of this study was to determine the contractile properties and muscle fiber types of the rat styloglossus muscle. The styloglossus is one of three extrinsic tongue muscles and serves to retract the tongue within the oral cavity. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 19) were used in these experiments. The contractile characteristics of the whole styloglossus muscle ( n = 9) were measured in response to stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve branch to the muscle. The average twitch tension produced was 3.30 g with a mean twitch contraction time of 13.81 ms. The mean maximum tetanic tension was 19.66 g and occurred at or near the fusion frequency, which averaged 109 Hz. The styloglossus muscle was resistant to fatigue [fatigue index (F. I.) = 0.76]. In separate experiments ( n = 7), the contractile characteristics of 37 single motor units were measured in response to extracellular stimulation of hypoglossal motoneurons. The twitch tension generated by styloglossus motor units averaged 35.7 mg, and the mean twitch contraction time was 12.46 ms. The mean fusion frequency was 92 Hz. Maximum tetanic tension averaged 177.8 mg. Styloglossus single motor units were resistant to fatigue (F. I. = 0.74). The sites of stimulation that yielded a contractile response in the styloglossus muscle were consistent with the location of the styloglossus motoneuron pool reported in earlier anatomy studies. Muscle fiber typing was determined in three animals based on the myofibrillar ATPase reaction at pH 9.8, 4.6, and 4.3. The styloglossus muscle was composed of ≈99% type IIA fibers with a few scattered type I fibers present in the study sample. On the basis of the combined findings of the physiology and histochemistry experiments, the styloglossus muscle appeared to be a homogeneous muscle composed almost exclusively of fast, fatigue-resistant motor units. These properties of the styloglossus muscle and its motor units were compared with findings in other rat skeletal muscles.

Twitch properties of human thenar motor units measured in response to intraneural motor-axon stimulation

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 1339-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. K. Thomas ◽  
R. S. Johansson ◽  
G. Westling ◽  
B. Bigland-Ritchie
Keyword(s):  
Relaxation Times ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Motor Axon ◽  
Tetanic Stimulation ◽  
Relaxation Rates ◽  
Relaxation Phase ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Force Components ◽  
Resultant Forces ◽  
Derivatives Of

1. The twitch properties of human thenar motor units were examined in response to intraneural motor-axon stimulation. Force components of thumb abduction and flexion were measured before and after tetanic stimulation. The magnitude, direction, and time derivatives of resultant forces, together with axon conduction velocities, were calculated for each unit. 2. Various indexes of contraction and relaxation rate were measured including contraction time (time from force onset to peak), one-half relaxation time (time from peak force to one-half that value), normalized maximum contraction and normalized maximum relaxation rates (peak positive and negative time derivatives of the force signal normalized to twitch force), and the times at which these maximum rates occurred. 3. For different units, the directions of resultant forces were approximately evenly distributed between thumb abduction and flexion. At the onset of the experiment, initial twitch forces ranged from 3 to 34 mN, contraction times from 35 to 80 ms, and one-half relaxation times from 25 to 108 ms. 4. Resultant twitch forces were positively correlated to normalized maximum relaxation rates, but not to other rate indexes or to conduction velocity. The various contraction rate measures were correlated to each other, but generally not to relaxation rates. 5. After the first test involving tetanic stimulation, the twitches of most units were potentiated and slowed, especially their relaxation phase. However, the extent of these changes varied considerably between units. In general, units with weak initial forces potentiated most, some up to three-fold. These changes in twitch properties were denoted posttetanic twitch potentiation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Strength and Contractile Adaptations in the Human Triceps Surae after Isotonic Exercise

1993 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crayton L. Moss ◽  
Scott Grimmer
Keyword(s):  
Relaxation Time ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Peak Force ◽  
Contractile Properties ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Type I ◽  
Muscle Twitch ◽  
Time To Peak ◽  
High Repetition ◽  
Isotonic Exercise

The purpose of this study was to determine whether twitch contractile properties and strength of the triceps surae could be altered by 8 weeks of low-repetition or high-repetition isotonic exercise. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the low- or high-repetition group. Before- and after-training measurements were recorded for strength and contractile properties. The contractile variables of the muscle twitch were latency, time to peak force, peak force, half-contraction time, and half-relaxation time. Strength measurements were determined utilizing a one repetition maximal (1-RM) heel-raise testing device. A two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to test the effect of training on each variable. Both groups showed a significant increase in 1-RM and half-relaxation time and a decrease in electrical stimulation current after the 8-week training period. It was concluded that if high-repetition exercises develop slow-twitch Type I muscle fibers and low-repetition exercises develop fast-twitch Type II fibers, training programs must be designed specifically according to the desired outcome.

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