Skip to main content
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1983 Jun;339:123–132. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1983.sp014707

Repetitive doublets in human flexor carpi radialis muscle.

P Bawa, B Calancie
PMCID: PMC1199152  PMID: 6887019

Abstract

Single-motor-unit activity was recorded from flexor carpi radialis of two human subjects. 2. A large number of units showed repetitive doublets at the onset of slow recruitment. A unit starting with doublets would transfer to a normal firing pattern as the force increased. 3. At different speeds of ramp contractions, the number of doublets discharging at the onset of contraction decreased as the speed of contraction increased. 4. Both low- and high-threshold units discharged repetitive doublets. Motor units which could discharge doublets showed higher maximal firing rates than those units which did not fire doublets. 5. Short interspike intervals were also observed at the onset of ballistic movements. From the comparison of these short interspike intervals and the short intradoublet intervals we suggest that the two arise from two distinct phenomena in the spinal cord. 6. Linked potentials were observed both with single spikes and doublets. Their origin may lie in the spinal cord or the muscle unit itself or both.

Full text

PDF
123

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Andreassen S., Rosenfalck A. Regulation of the firing pattern of single motor units. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1980 Oct;43(10):897–906. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.43.10.897. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bawa P., Tatton W. G. Motor unit responses in muscles stretched by imposed displacements of the monkey wrist. Exp Brain Res. 1979;37(3):417–437. doi: 10.1007/BF00236815. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Calvin W. H. Generation of spike trains in CNS neurons. Brain Res. 1975 Jan 24;84(1):1–22. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(75)90796-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Calvin W. H., Schwindt P. C. Steps in production of motoneuron spikes during rhythmic firing. J Neurophysiol. 1972 May;35(3):297–310. doi: 10.1152/jn.1972.35.3.297. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cullheim S., Kellerth J. O., Conradi S. Evidence for direct synaptic interconnections between cat spinal alpha-motoneurons via the recurrent axon collaterals: a morphological study using intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase. Brain Res. 1977 Aug 19;132(1):1–10. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(77)90702-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GORDON G., HOLBOURN A. H. S. The mechanical activity of single motor units in reflex contractions of skeletal muscle. J Physiol. 1949 Dec 15;110(1-2):26–35. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1949.sp004418. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Granit R., Kernell D., Lamarre Y. Synaptic stimulation superimposed on motoneurones firing in the 'secondary range' to injected current. J Physiol. 1966 Nov;187(2):401–415. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp008098. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Harris D. A., Henneman E. Identification of two species of alpha motoneurons in cat's plantaris pool. J Neurophysiol. 1977 Jan;40(1):16–25. doi: 10.1152/jn.1977.40.1.16. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hoffer J. A., O'Donovan M. J., Pratt C. A., Loeb G. E. Discharge patterns of hindlimb motoneurons during normal cat locomotion. Science. 1981 Jul 24;213(4506):466–467. doi: 10.1126/science.7244644. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kernell D. Synaptic conductance changes and the repetitive impulse discharge of spinal motoneurones. Brain Res. 1969 Sep;15(1):291–294. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90335-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Nelson P. G., Burke R. E. Delayed depolarization in cat spinal motoneurons. Exp Neurol. 1967 Jan;17(1):16–26. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(67)90118-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Partanen V. S. Double discharges in neuromuscular diseases. J Neurol Sci. 1978 May;36(3):377–382. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(78)90045-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Partanen V. S., Lang A. H. An analysis of double discharges in the human electromyogram. J Neurol Sci. 1978 May;36(3):363–375. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(78)90044-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Roth G. Double discharges of distal origin: influence on the firing rhythm. J Neurol Sci. 1980 Jul;47(1):35–48. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(80)90023-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Scheibel M. E., Scheibel A. B. Organization of spinal motoneuron dendrites in bundles. Exp Neurol. 1970 Jul;28(1):106–112. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(70)90165-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Schwindt P. C., Calvin W. H. Membrane-potential trajectories between spikes underlying motoneuron firing rates. J Neurophysiol. 1972 May;35(3):311–325. doi: 10.1152/jn.1972.35.3.311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Zajac F. E., Young J. L. Discharge properties of hindlimb motoneurons in decerebrate cats during locomotion induced by mesencephalic stimulation. J Neurophysiol. 1980 May;43(5):1221–1235. doi: 10.1152/jn.1980.43.5.1221. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES