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PubMed1969

Dynamic properties of fast and slow skeletal muscles of the rat after nerve cross-union.

1. The properties of self-innervated (S-EDL, S-SOL) and cross-innervated (X-EDL, X-SOL) extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus (SOL) muscles have been determined at various times between 25 and 490 days after operations, and these are compared with the properties of normal muscles from unoperated animals of about the same age.2. The muscle fibres of X-SOL were 1.15 times longer than fibres of N-SOL and S-SOL at about 480 days after operations but the diameter of fibres was the same in the three muscles.3. The length of muscle fibres was the same in X-EDL, N-EDL and S-EDL 480 days after operations but the fibres of X-EDL failed to grow in cross-sectional area after innervation by soleus nerve fibres.4. The twitch: tetanus ratio was altered transitorily in both X-EDL and X-SOL but returned to near normal values within about 300 days after operations.5. The time courses of isometric contractions and the force: velocity properties were virtually the same in normal and self-innervated muscles 480 days after operations. The isometric twitch contraction time was about 13 msec for N-EDL, 25 msec for X-EDL, 34 msec for N-SOL and 15 msec for X-SOL, and the intrinsic speed of shortening of sarcomeres was about 45.1 mu/sec for N-EDL, 22.5 mu/sec for X-EDL, 19.8 mu/sec for N-SOL and 33.8 mu/sec for X-SOL; in these respects there was incomplete transformation of EDL to a slow muscle and of SOL to a fast muscle.6. There was a high degree of correlation between the intrinsic speed of shortening of sarcomeres and the isometric twitch contraction time but there was no correlation between isometric twitch contraction time and twitch: tetanus ratio of self-innervated and cross-innervated muscles 200-480 days after operations, and normal muscles from unoperated animals of the same age.7. The relation between intrinsic speed of shortening of sarcomeres and isometric twitch contraction time was approximately hyperbolic for normal, self-innervated and cross-innervated EDL and SOL muscles 480 days after operations.8. The maximum speed of shortening of whole muscle fibres was the same for X-SOL, S-EDL and N-EDL, and the same for X-EDL, S-SOL and N-SOL. The possibility that a neural influence determines the speed of shortening of whole fibres is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Blood pressure, heart rate and EMG in low level static contractions.

The purposes of the present investigation were: to evaluate a possible use of changes in the mean spectral frequency (MSF) of the EMG power spectra as a measure of reflex cardiovascular responses originating from the muscles during static exercise; and to study the relation between muscle fibre composition, EMG, and the cardiovascular response. Heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure (BP), myoelectric signal (EMG), and intramuscular temperature (Tm) were measured during prolonged static contractions in five healthy male subjects (25-44 yrs). Two studies were performed. In study I constant EMG contraction muscle force in the first 5 s of the knee-extensor contraction was set to 20% MVC, (maximal voluntary contraction), and in the rest of the 5 min contraction the myoelectric signal was kept constant by visual feedback from an oscilloscope. In study II, (constant force contraction) two 1 h 7% MVC isometric contractions of the elbow-flexors and extensors were performed on two separate days. During the 5 min constant EMG contraction, the force fell from 20 to 11% MVC, mean BP (MAP) increased from 97 +/- 5 to 120 +/- 4 mmHg (P less than 0.01), and the EMG MSF decreased from 87 +/- 16 to 66 +/- 9 Hz (P less than 0.01). The decrease in MSF was strongly correlated to the increase in MAP (r = 0.96, P less than 0.01). The intramuscular temperature showed a small increase from 34.3 degrees C to 35.3 degrees C (P less than 0.01). During the 1 h constant force contraction involving m. triceps, MAP increased from 104 +/- 10 to 120 +/- 12 mmHg, with a simultaneous decrease in the EMG MSF from 96 +/- 11 to 70 +/- 19 Hz and an increase in the EMG amplitude (247% of the initial value). In the contractions involving m. biceps, however, both MAP and EMG MSF remained almost unchanged, but EMG amplitude increased (197% of the initial value). Very modest changes in HR were observed: 63 +/- 6 to 66 +/- 6 beats min-1 and 61 +/- 5 to 59 +/- 7 beats min-1 in the contractions involving m. triceps and m. biceps, respectively. The intramuscular temperature increased simultaneously, 1.3 degrees C and 0.7 degrees C in m. triceps and m. biceps, respectively. The results from the constant EMG contractions indicate the existence of a common 'trigger' for both the increase in BP and the decrease in EMG MSF; and the extracellular [K] is put forward as a candidate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Contingent muscular tension during a choice reaction task.

This study examined the effects of contingent muscular tension on a choice reaction task, and especially, the effects various amounts of muscular tension have on the information processing of choice reaction time. The reactive movement task included a choice reaction task. Ten right-handed healthy men (ages 18 to 19 years) underwent trials with stimulus presentation probabilities of 50% and 20% on the muscular tension task and choice reaction tasks. The conditions for the muscular tension tasks were divided into seven different conditions: 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% of maximum voluntary contraction. On these tasks, subjects performed isometric contraction of the biceps brachii. The choice reaction task was a rapid extension of the left or right knee as a choice reaction. Measures were choice reaction time, movement time, and total reaction time. Analysis indicated that shortening choice reaction time of the left and right feet was observed under 10% muscular tension of maximum strength. Muscular tension appreciably influenced information processing, including choice reaction time. Muscular tension did not affect movement time. Results are discussed with respect to previous research and the optimal muscular tension for best performance.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

[Time dependence of Ca supply in rat and rabbit myocardium].

The time dependence of Ca supply in rat (R) and rabbit myocardium (K) for the activation was analyzed by the action potential area up to 50% of repolarization (APA50) of the action potential (AP) during the electrical restitution as well as by extra contractions (EC) during the mechanical restitution and subsequent postextrastimulatory contraction (PEC) or potentiation (PEP) in isometrically contracting papillary muscle at different extracellular Ca concentrations (Cae). In K a considerable increase in APA50 of the EC-AP during the electrical restitution within the interval of rhythmical contraction (T) strongly correlates with the subsequent PEP. In R both the alteration of the APA50 and the PEP are smaller than in K. Compared with K in R the mechanical restitution is delayed, but accelerated by rising Cae as demonstrated by increasing EC/T. The course of mechanical restitution and the low PEP are regarded to be connected with the fact that the sarcoplasmic reticulum is the main source of activator Ca in R. Differences in both electrical and mechanical restitution and, especially the higher PEP, agree with the sarcolemma as the main source of activator Ca in K.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1989

Electromyography of lumbar erector spinae muscles--influence of posture, interelectrode distance, strength, and fatigue.

The aims of the study were to obtain information (1) on surface electromyograms (SEMG) from the lumbar erector spinae muscles at different interelectrode distances and postures during short isometric contractions with constant force, (2) on the relationships between SEMG and extension force at different postures, and (3) on changes in SEMG during fatiguing isometric contractions at different postures and strengths. Six male subjects developed target forces in prone postures without gravity confounding the measurement of the extension torque. The angles between the constantly horizontal upper trunk and thighs were 90 degrees (P1), 135 degrees (P2), 170 degrees (P3), and 190 degrees (P4). Standard deviations of the distribution of SEMG amplitudes (RMS values), autoregressive (AR) time series models of the 15th order and spectral densities, including mean power frequency (MPF), were computed. Smaller interelectrode distances accompanied smaller RMS values and higher MPF. At a constant extension torque of about 110 Nm, RMS values and MPF increased from P1 to P4. Changes of interelectrode distance were of relatively minor importance, compared with the variation in the posture. With increasing torque, the increase in RMS values was steeper at P3 than at P2. The AR structure and MPF did not exhibit distinct effects of force. During sustained contractions at P2 and P3, only the highest force (mean = 140 Nm) at P3 caused a significant decrease of the MPF at the very beginning of the contraction. Endurance at P2 was greater than at P3. Higher forces and/or shorter muscles (P3) induced more pronounced and earlier relative decreases of the MPF and residual variance of AR models. Up to the "failure point", RMS values increased slightly, but without significant differences.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Adaptive responses of mouse skeletal muscle to contractile activity: The effect of age.

This study has characterised the time course of two major transcriptional adaptive responses to exercise (changes in antioxidant defence enzyme activity and heat shock protein (HSP) content) in muscles of adult and old male mice following isometric contractions and has examined the mechanisms involved in the age-related reduction in transcription factor activation. Muscles of B6XSJL mice were subjected to isometric contractions and analysed for antioxidant defence enzyme activities, heat shock protein content and transcription factor DNA binding activity. Data demonstrated a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity and HSP content of muscles of adult mice following contractile activity which was associated with increased activation of the transcription factors, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), activator protein-1 (AP-1) and heat shock factor (HSF) following contractions. Significant increases in SOD and catalase activity and heat shock cognate (HSC70) content were seen in quiescent muscles of old mice. The increase in antioxidant defence enzyme activity following contractile activity seen in muscles of adult mice was not seen in muscles of old mice and this was associated with a failure to fully activate NF-kappaB and AP-1 following contractions. In contrast, although the production of HSPs was also reduced in muscles of old mice following contractile activity compared with muscles of adult mice following contractions, this was not due to a gross reduction in the DNA binding activity of HSF.

Adaptation, Biological↗

PubMed2003

NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester potentiates the effect of aminophylline on the isolated rat hemidiaphragm.

The effects of different concentrations of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (0.3, 1, 3, and 10 mM), a non-selective inhibitor of NOS, on the effect of aminophylline on the isometric contraction of the isolated rat hemidiaphragm were investigated. The muscle contractions were induced by direct subtetanic electrical stimulation. Aminophylline (0.36 - 3.60 mM) produced a typical concentration-dependent increase in both parameters of the isometric contraction: tension developed (Td) and the maximum rate of rise of tension (dT/dt max). The second series of additions of aminophylline produced a more pronounced effect. L-NAME (0.3, 1, 3, and 10 mM, 30 min of incubation without stimulation) itself did not change Td and dT/dt max. However, L-NAME (1, 3, and 10 mM) produced a statistically significant potentiation of the effect of aminophylline on Td and dT/dt max.

Aminophylline↗

PubMed1999

Effect of stretching on undamped elasticity in muscle fibres from Rana temporaria.

Muscle stiffness was measured from the undamped elastic recoil taking place when the force attained during ramp stretches of muscle fibres, tetanized on the plateau of the tension-length relation, was suddenly reduced to the isometric value developed before the stretch, T0. Sarcomere elastic recoil was measured on a tendon-free segment of the fibre by means of a striation follower. After small ramp stretches, stiffness increases to a value 1.33x greater than that measured during release from a state of isometric contraction to 0.9 T0. While the relative increase in stiffness is equal to that reported for fibres of Rana esculenta (Piazzesi et al., 1992), the absolute value of stiffness measured during release from isometric contraction is just over half. As stretch amplitude is increased, on the plateau of the force-length relation, stiffness decreases toward the isometric value. This finding shows that the decrease in stiffness with large stretches cannot be due to a decrease in myofilament overlap (as may be the case when stretching occurs on the descending limb of the tension-length relation, Sugi & Tsuchiya, 1988), but must be due to an effect of the ramp stretch per se. For a given stretch amplitude, the after-stretch transient shortening against T0 taking place after the elastic recoil (which is expression of the work enhancement induced by stretching, Cavagna et al., 1986, 1994) is similar in fibres with very different stiffness of their undamped elastic elements. This suggests that this work enhancement is not due to the recoil of damped elastic structures recruited during stretching because of sarcomere length inhomogenity, a condition which would result in a decrease in stiffness (Morgan et al., 1996).

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of sodium and calcium channel blockade on cytosolic calcium oscillations and phasic contractions of myometrial tissue.

OBJECTIVE: These studies sought to test the hypothesis that agonist-stimulated cytosolic calcium oscillations and phasic myometrial contractions are dependent on calcium influx through dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels, but not sodium influx through tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channels. METHODS: Cytosolic calcium imaging studies and in vitro isometric contraction studies were performed using uterine tissue from proestrus/estrus Sprague-Dawley rats. The calcium imaging studies were performed after loading partial thickness strips of myometrium with Fura-2. For the in vitro isometric contraction studies, the contraction data were computer digitalized, analyzed for contraction area, and normalized for cross-section area. The effects of nifedipine (1.0-5 mumol/L), a calcium channel blocker, were compared to tetrodotoxin (0.01-1 mumol/L), a sodium channel blocker. RESULTS: Oxytocin-stimulated simultaneous cytosolic calcium oscillations and phasic contractions were completely inhibited by 1 mumol/L nifedipine; in contrast, 1 mumol/L tetrodotoxin had no effect on the oxytocin-stimulated calcium oscillations and contractions. Oxytocin, aluminum fluoride, potassium chloride, and ionomycin stimulated in vitro phasic myometrial contractions. Tetrodotoxin had no effect on these agonist-stimulated phasic contractions, whereas nifedipine produced a significant, dose-related inhibition of the phasic contractile activity. CONCLUSIONS: The studies described in this report support the hypothesis that the influx of extracellular calcium is an important component of the cellular mechanisms responsible for the cytosolic calcium oscillations occurring during phasic myometrial contractions. In contrast, sodium influx through tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channels does not appear to play a comparably important role.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

The effects of three modalities on delayed onset muscle soreness.

Delayed onset muscle soreness is a common problem that can interfere with rehabilitation as well as activities of daily living. The purpose of this study was to test the impact of therapeutic massage, upper body ergometry, or microcurrent electrical stimulation on muscle soreness and force deficits evident following a high-intensity eccentric exercise bout. Forty untrained, volunteer female subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups or to a control group. Exercise consisted of high-intensity eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors. Resistance was reduced as subjects fatigued, until they reached exhaustion. Soreness rating was determined using a visual analog scale. Force deficits were determined by measures of maximal voluntary isometric contraction at 90 degrees of elbow flexion and peak torque for elbow flexion at 60 degrees/sec on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction and peak torque were determined at the 0 hour (before exercise) and again at 24 and 48 hours postexercise. Treatments were applied immediately following exercise and again at 24 hours after exercise. The control group subjects rested following their exercise bout. Statistical analysis showed significant increases in soreness rating and significant decreases in force generated when the 0 hour was compared with 24- and 48-hour measures. Further analysis indicated no statistically significant differences between massage, microcurrent electrical stimulation, upper body ergometry, and control groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

Physiology and pathophysiology of skeletal muscle contractions. Part II. Static activity.

An overview is presented of the physiology and so-called pathophysiology of static muscle contractions in the intact living organism. Static muscle activity produces no external mechanophysical work, but is used for fixation. Contingent upon the levels of the generated forces, and the duration of the isometric contractions, static activities give rise to fatigue and pains. The discomforts are viewed as somatic responses that are normally within physiological limits. That is, upon cessation of isometric contractions there is usually rapid recovery from the discomforts, and they do not normally induce chronic lesions.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Mechanical control of the rising phase of contraction of frog skeletal and cardiac muscle.

The effect of shortening on contractile activity was studied in experiments in which shortening during the rising phase of an isotonic contraction was suddenly stopped. At the same muscle length and the same time after stimulation the rise in tension was much faster, if preceded by shortening, than during an isometric contraction, demonstrating an increase in contractile activity. In this experiment the rate of tension rise determined in various phases of contraction was proportional to the rate of isotonic shortening at the same time after stimulation. Therefore, the time course of the isotonic rising phase could be derived from the tension rise after shortening. The rate of isotonic shortening was found to be unrelated to the tension generated at various lengths and to correspond closely to the activation process induced by shortening. The length response explains differences between isotonic and isometric contractions with regard to energy release (Fenn effect) and time relations. These results extend previous work which showed that shortening during later phases of a twitch prolongs, while lengthening abbreviates contraction. Thus the length responses, which have been called shortening activation and lengthening deactivation, control activity throughout an isotonic twitch.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Effects of fatigue on the catchlike property in a turtle hindlimb muscle.

The purpose of this report was to test for the possibility that a catchlike, force-enhancing property, attributable to a particular stimulation pattern, could be evoked in non-mammalian turtle muscle, just as it has been shown in mammalian muscle. We tested for the presence of this property in dynamic lengthening and shortening contractions, as well as in the more commonly studied isometric contractions. A second aim was to note the effects of fatigue on the catchlike property, if the latter was present. The force response of the external gastrocnemius muscle in the adult turtle, Pseudemys ( Trachemys) scripta elegans, was compared for a control, constant-frequency 10 Hz, 1-s duration stimulation pattern using 0.1-ms pulses vs. the same pattern, but with two additional pulses within the first 100-ms interspike interval of the control stimulus train. This latter train produced a pronounced and prolonged enhancement of muscle force, which was attributed to a catchlike effect. It was greatly increased when the muscle was in a fatigued state. The extent of this force enhancement was significantly different for the three contraction types, and generally in the order: isometric>lengthening>shortening contraction. These differences were greater in fatigued vs. fresh muscle. Comparative aspects and potential mechanisms underlying the catchlike effect are discussed.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1980

Spontaneous mechanical alternans in papillary muscles from atherosclerotic rabbits.

Mechanical alternans developed spontaneously in 5 of 17 right ventricular papillary muscles from atherosclerotic rabbits. The rabbits had eaten an atherogenic diet of 5% lard, 5% peanut oil, 0.5% cholesterol, and 89.5% rabbit pellets for 116-184 days. In one muscle mechanical alternans developed slowly and persisted. When the condition had developed fully, in the weaker contraction the muscle shortened only 20% as far when contracting isotonically and developed only 38% as much tension when contracting isometrically. Added to the superfusate, calcium (5.0 mM) or norepinephrine (1.5 X 10(-5) M) abolished the alternans. In four muscles mechanical alternans was only temporary. Compared with the 12 muscles that did not develop alternans, these 4, when contracting isometrically 12 times/min but not in alternans, had longer latency and required more time to develop tension at the maximum rate and to develop peak tension. Contracting isotonically, they required more time to accelerate to maximum velocity of shortening and to shorten maximally. Raising the contraction frequency to 24/min decreased the differences in performance between the two groups. Norepinephrine (1.5 X 10(-5) M) made the differences smaller still. We think that both the mechanical alternans and the differences in performance between the muscles that developed alteranans and those that did not resulted from a defect in the cardiac cell's handling of calcium. Diet-induced changes in the lipid composition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum or sarcolemma or both seem probable causes.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Timing and rate of development of tension produced by the fast voluntary contraction of the rectus femoris muscle.

Tension produced by isometric contraction of the rectus femoris muscle for rapid knee extension was examined at different levels of force with five normal subjects, using an on-line method to measure the timing and the rate of development of tension. Tension began to rise about 50 msec. after onset of electromyographic activity of the rectus femoris muscle, increased most sharply at about 60 msec. after its rise, and attained maximum at about 100 msec. The rate of tension development was determined solely by the maximum tension from first 20 msec. up to 100 msec., while timing remained approximately constant regardless of the force. The result confirmed well a force-control hypothesis of maximal speed ballistic movement of a body segment that the motor centre controls the amplitude of force output when time to develop tension is invariant.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Actomyosin structure in contracting muscle detected by rapid freezing.

It is now widely accepted that the ATP-induced active sliding of adjacent thin and thick filaments mediated by myosin heads (cross-bridges) is responsible for muscle contraction. Despite intensive studies, the behaviour of the myosin heads during muscle contraction is still unclear. Recent progress in the rapid freezing electron microscope technique has greatly improved the temporal resolution of the images that can be obtained. Here, we report a new type of actomyosin structure captured by rapid freezing. We have analysed images from thin sections of freeze-substituted rabbit skeletal muscle rapidly frozen during isometric contraction. For comparison, we also studied relaxed and rigor muscles. Our results show that, during isometric contraction, most myosin heads are regularly arrayed along the helix of the actin filaments and that this actomyosin structure appears to be distinct from that observed in rigor muscle.

Actins↗

PubMed1989

Age as a factor in the hemodynamic responses to isometric exercise.

This study was designed to determine the effect of isometric contractions of the finger flexors and leg extensor muscle groups on the cardiovascular responses of men 18-31 and 50-71 years of age. A 2X2X4 split-plot design was carried out with men representing two age groups, using two muscle groups and performing isometric contractions at four different intensities. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences for all main effects. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were found to be (1) higher for the leg extension contractions compared to the finger flexion contractions, (2) higher for each increment in %MVC workload, and (3) higher for the older individuals. Heart rate responses were found to be (1) higher for the leg extension exercises, (2) higher with each increase in %MVC, and (3) higher for the younger subjects. Stroke volumes demonstrated (1) higher values for the young men at each workload, (2) lower values for leg extension exercises, and (3) a greater decline with longer contraction times. The older individuals had higher pressor responses than did the younger subjects, higher pressor and heart rate responses were observed with isometric leg extension exercises and increasing %MVC levels, and the older subjects had lower stroke volume responses compared to the younger subjects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Contralateral muscle fatigue in human quadriceps muscle: evidence for a centrally mediated fatigue response and cross-over effect.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of voluntary muscular fatigue in one lower limb and determine whether a 'cross-over' of fatigue is evident in the contralateral limb. Twenty-eight subjects (13 males and 15 females) performed a series of voluntary and evoked isometric contractions of both the dominant (exercised) and non-dominant (non-exercised) leg extensor muscles, prior to and after a fatigue protocol consisting of a 100-s sustained maximal isometric contraction (MVC) performed by the dominant limb only. Force values and surface electromyography (EMG) from the vastus lateralis muscle were obtained allowing for the determination of twitch and compound action potential (M-wave) values. Maximal twitch tension and peak-to-peak amplitude were significantly decreased after the fatigue test in the dominant limb, as was maximal voluntary force (approximately 65 N reduction), EMG activity (approximately 0.1 mV decrease) and voluntary activation (approximately 17% decline). However, no significant changes were observed in the non-dominant limb with respect to twitch and M-wave properties nor in MVC force. The voluntary activation of the non-dominant limb decreased significantly by 8.7% after the fatigue test, which was performed only on the dominant limb. The results of the present study suggest that the decrease in force production in the exercised limb was primarily related to peripheral fatigue mechanisms, with central fatigue making a lesser contribution. Centrally mediated mechanisms appear to be the sole contributor to fatigue in the non-exercised limb suggesting an anticipatory fatigue response and a 'cross-over' of central fatigue between the exercised and non-exercised contralateral limb.

Action Potentials↗