Skip to main content
British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy
. 1963 Feb;20(1):5–16. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1963.tb01292.x

Stimulus frequency and neuromuscular block

J G Blackman
PMCID: PMC1703751  PMID: 13971398

Abstract

Muscle twitches of the rat isolated diaphragm and frog sartorius preparations were recorded. It was confirmed that, in the presence of tubocurarine, the degree of neuromuscular block was greater the higher the frequency of stimulation. The results suggest that the quantity of acetylcholine released by each nerve impulse was reduced by increasing the rate of stimulation so that, in a tubocurarine solution, muscle fibres which were only just being fired at a slow rate of stimulation failed to fire at a faster rate.

Full text

PDF
5

Selected References

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

  1. BOWMAN W. C., RAND M. J. Actions of triethylcholine on neuromuscular transmission. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1961 Oct;17:176–195. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1961.tb01278.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BOYD I. A., MARTIN A. R. The end-plate potential in mammalian muscle. J Physiol. 1956 Apr 27;132(1):74–91. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005503. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BURNS B. D., PATON W. D. M. Depolarization of the motor end-plate by decamethonium and acetylcholine. J Physiol. 1951 Sep;115(1):41–73. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1951.sp004652. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brown G. L., Harvey A. M. Neuro-muscular transmission in the extrinsic muscles of the eye. J Physiol. 1941 Mar 25;99(3):379–399. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1941.sp003910. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DEL CASTILLO J., ENGBAEK L. The nature of the neuromuscular block produced by magnesium. J Physiol. 1954 May 28;124(2):370–384. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005114. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DEL CASTILLO J., KATZ B. The membrane change produced by the neuromuscular transmitter. J Physiol. 1954 Sep 28;125(3):546–565. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005180. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. DEL CASTILLO J., STARK L. The effect of calcium ions on the motor end-plate potentials. J Physiol. 1952 Apr;116(4):507–515. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1952.sp004720. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. ENGBAEK L. The pharmacological actions of magnesium ions with particular reference to the neuromuscular and the cardiovascular system. Pharmacol Rev. 1952 Dec;4(4):396–414. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. FURSHPAN E. J., POTTER D. D. Transmission at the giant motor synapses of the crayfish. J Physiol. 1959 Mar 3;145(2):289–325. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1959.sp006143. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. GUYTON A. C., REEDER R. C. The dynamics of curarization. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1949 Nov;97(3):322–330. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. HUTTER O. F., TRAUTWEIN W. Neuromuscular facilitation by stretch of motor nerve-endings. J Physiol. 1956 Sep 27;133(3):610–625. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005613. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. KOKETSU K. Action of tetraethylammonium chloride on neuromuscular transmission in frogs. Am J Physiol. 1958 Apr;193(1):213–218. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1958.193.1.213. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LUNDBERG A., QUILISCH H. On the effect of calcium on presynaptic potentiation and depression at the neuro-muscular junction. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1953;111:121–129. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. LUNDBERG A., QUILISCH H. Presynaptic potentiation and depression of neuromuscular transmission in frog and rat. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1953;111:111–120. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MUSCHOLL E. Elektrophysiologische Untersuchung der einzelnen Faseranteile des isolierten Rattenzwerchfelles. Pflugers Arch. 1957;264(5):467–483. doi: 10.1007/BF00369810. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. PAUL D. H. The effects of calcium and magnesium on mammalian muscle fibres. J Physiol. 1960 Jun;151:566–577. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006460. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. PRESTON J. B., VAN MAANEN E. F. Effects of frequency of stimulation on the paralyzing dose of neuromuscular blocking agents. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1953 Feb;107(2):165–171. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. RALSTON H. J., LIBET B., WRIGHT E. W., Jr Effect of stretch on action potential of voluntary muscle. Am J Physiol. 1953 Jun;173(3):449–455. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1953.173.3.449. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. RITCHIE J. M., WILKIE D. R. The effect of previous stimulation on the active state of muscle. J Physiol. 1955 Nov 28;130(2):488–496. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005422. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. ROBERTS D. V. Neuromcuscular activity of the triethyl analogue of choline in the frog. J Physiol. 1962 Jan;160:94–105. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1962.sp006836. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. STOVNER J. The anticurare activity of tetraethylammonium (TEA). Acta Pharmacol Toxicol (Copenh) 1958;14(4):317–332. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. TAKEUCHI A. The long-lasting depression in neuromuscular transmission of frog. Jpn J Physiol. 1958 Jun 15;8(2):102–113. doi: 10.2170/jjphysiol.8.102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. THESLEFF S. A study of the interaction between neuromuscular blocking agents and acetylcholine at the mammalian motor endplate. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 1958;2(2):69–79. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1958.tb05252.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. THESLEFF S. The effects of acetylcholine, decamethonium and succinylcholine on neuromuscular transmission in the rat. Acta Physiol Scand. 1955 Oct 12;34(4):386–392. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1955.tb01257.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. WISLICKI L. Effects of rate of stimulation and of fatigue on the response to neuromuscular blocking agents. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1958 Jun;13(2):138–143. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1958.tb00208.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. ZAIMIS E. J. The action of decamethonium on normal and denervated mammalian muscle. J Physiol. 1951 Jan;112(1-2):176–190. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1951.sp004518. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES