RESUMO
atigue is a common phenomenon in many medical and neurologic diseases. Understanding the origins of fatigue in these diseases is of great guiding significance in developing targeted interventions for muscle fatigue. In this review, the central origin (including all the supraspinal and spinal physiological phenomena capable of inducing a decrease in motoneuron excitation) and the peripheral origin (including neuromuscular transmission, propagation of action potentials in muscle, excitation-contraction coupling) of muscle fatigue were summarized. The methods of assessing the central or peripheral origin of muscle fatigue were discussed, including the direct measurement (maximal voluntary contraction force, twitch force) and the indirect tests (twitch interpolation, electromyography, motor cortical stimulation).
RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of short-term immobilization on the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force. The first dorsal interosseus (FDI) of 10 healthy male adults was immobilized for 1 week using casting tape. Atrophy of the muscle was estimated from a cross sectional view of magnetic resonance images (MRI) . To clarify the factors of a peripheral neuromuscular system contributing to the change in the MVC force, twitch force at rest was measured. The contribution of central factors was estimated from a voluntary activation (VA) index, which was obtained by the twitch interpolation method.<BR>The MRI showed no significant changes in the cross sectional area. The MVC force declined after immobilization (p<0.01), and recovered after 1 week from the termination of immobilization (p<0.01) . Both the twitch force at rest and the VA at MVC declined after immobilization (p<0.01), and recovered after 1 week (p<0.05) .<BR>The results indicate that the temporary decline of the MVC force was not accompanied by atrophy of the muscle. Furthermore the decline of the MVC was caused both by the deterioration of peripheral and central functions in the neuromuscular system. Possible factors in the peripheral and central neuromuscular systems affected by the immobilization were discussed.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Hypertonic solutions are using in emergency patients including refractory shock. The effects of the hyperosmotic solutions for the cardiac contractile effect has remained unclear. To study the mechanism of increase in twitch force by hypertonic solution, memberane potential, intracellular sodium activities(aNia), and twitch force were measured simultaneously in 1 Hz-driven canine Purkinje fibers and guinea pig papillary muscles. METHODS: To increase osmolarity, 20, 40, and 80 mOsm glucose, NaCl or mannitol was added to normal Tyrode solution. We used the conventional and Na(+)-selective microelectrodes, to study the membrane potential and intracellular sodium activity. Changes in twitch force were evaluated also by tension tranducer. RESULTS: 1) Hyperosmolar glucose or NaCl added to normal Tyrode solution produced membrane pontential hyperpolarization, increase in aNia, and increase in twitch force in dog Purkinje fibers. Increase in twitch force was related to decrease in the ratio of aNia to extracellular sodium activity(aNoa). NaCl-inducedd aNia increase was not blocked by 10(-5)M tetrodotoxin, a fast sodium channel blocker. 2) Hyperosmolar glucose or mannitol added to normal Tyrode solution produced membrane potential hyperpolarization, increase in aNia, and increase in twitch force in guinea pig papillary muscles. However, the addition of hyperosmolar NaCl did not affect on membrane potential, but produced increase in aNia, and decrease in twitch force. 3) Prolonging effect of hyperosmolar glucose on duration of action potential was smaller than that of NaCl or mannitol in Purkinje fibers and papillary muscles. 4) Increase in twich force produced by ECF Na+reduction or by hyperosmotic solution was reated to decrase in the aNia ratio. 5) Relationship curve between increase in twitch force and aNoa/aNia ratio in hyperosmolr solution was less steeper than that in ECF Na(+)-reduced solution. CONCLUSION: The above results suggested that hyperosmolar solution-induced twitch force change was related to aNoa/aNia ratio change which influenced intracellular calcium activity via Na(+)-Ca(2+)exchange.