AN INVESTIGATION OF CONDITIONS FOR APPEARANCE OF PREMOTION SILENT PERIOD PRIOR TO A VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

An electromyographic silent period can be observed preceding a rapid voluntary movement following the sustained contraction. This phenomenon has been called the “premotion silent period”, (p. s. p.) .<BR>In the present study, relationship between frequency of the p. s, p. appearance and joint angle in the preparatory phase was examined. An elbow joint extension to visual stimulus was chosen fo the rapid voluntary movement. It was found that the p, s, p, appeared frequently at the elbow joint angle less than 80 degrees, and no noticeable change of the frequency was seen in this range. The frequency of the p, s. p. appearance exceeding 80 degrees had a tendency to decrease. The authors discussed the possibility of correlation between the p, s. p, appearance and activity of the muscle spindle.