Changes in the excitability of ankle extensor and flexor motoneuones at the onset of voluntary contraction of quadriceps femoris muscle in man / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to investigate changes in the excitability of the ankle extensor and flexor motoneurons during voluntary contraction of the quadriceps femoris muscle (Quad) . For this purpose, we used a reaction time task and the H-reflex technique. Subjects lay in the prone position on a bed and performed isometric contraction of the Quad. The strength of the contraction force was about 30% of maximum.<BR>In all subjects we observed strong facilitation of the soleus (Sol) H-reflex, which occurred from the EMG onset of vastus lateralis muscle (VL) . The pretibial muscle (TA) H-reflex was also facilitated at almost the same time as that seen in the Sol H-reflex in nine out of ten subjects. The peak of Sol and TA H-reflex facilitation appeared between 50 and 100 ms after the EMG onset of the VL, and then these facilitations gradually decreased. Weak but constant activities of the Sol and medial gastrocnemius muscle (MG) were observed on the full-wave rectified and averaged EMG record after 50 to 80 ms from the EMG onset of VL. No such EMG activity was observed in TA.<BR>These results suggest that excitatory inputs including those of both descending and peripheral origin induced by voluntary contraction of Quad are responsible for facilitation of the ankle extensor and flexor motoneurons. In addition, removal of presynaptic inhibition of the Ia terminal of the motoneurons by descending motor command might explain the present results.