Abstract
A physiological method of estimating the number of motor units in normal and dystrophic muscles has revealed a large reduction in the number of motor units in dystrophic muscles. Anatomical confirmation of the results has been obtained. Dystrophic muscles also exhibit a `myasthenic-like' response to high frequency stimulation. It is suggested that the nerve fibre is primarily affected in murine dystrophy.
Full text
PDF![512](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/ee862b508a97/jnnpsyc00215-0024.png)
![513](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/aac2f3b61524/jnnpsyc00215-0025.png)
![514](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/1faafeb3e6cf/jnnpsyc00215-0026.png)
![515](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/41af866d408b/jnnpsyc00215-0027.png)
![516](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/8ef9b089ea58/jnnpsyc00215-0028.png)
![517](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/39c79bb2dd0e/jnnpsyc00215-0029.png)
![518](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/713ea95d957b/jnnpsyc00215-0030.png)
![519](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/cd40564b723c/jnnpsyc00215-0031.png)
![520](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/9de8/493861/2885b621aab6/jnnpsyc00215-0032.png)
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BARKER D., CHIN N. K. The number and distribution of muscle-spindles in certain muscles of the cat. J Anat. 1960 Oct;94:473–486. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BROWN M. C., MATTHEWS P. B. The effect on a muscle twitch of the back-response of its motor nerve fibres. J Physiol. 1960 Feb;150:332–346. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006391. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BRUST M. CONTRACTION ENHANCEMENT IN SKELETAL MUSCLES OF NORMAL AND DYSTROPHIC MICE. Am J Physiol. 1965 Mar;208:425–430. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1965.208.3.425. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BULLER A. J., LEWIS D. M. THE RATE OF TENSION DEVELOPMENT IN ISOMETRIC TETANIC CONTRACTIONS OF MAMMALIAN FAST AND SLOW SKELETAL MUSCLE. J Physiol. 1965 Feb;176:337–354. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007554. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Brust M. Relative resistance to dystrophy of slow skeletal muscle of the mouse. Am J Physiol. 1966 Mar;210(3):445–451. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1966.210.3.445. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Burke R. E. Motor unit types of cat triceps surae muscle. J Physiol. 1967 Nov;193(1):141–160. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008348. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CONRAD J. T., GLASER G. H. SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY AT MYONEURAL JUNCTION IN DYSTROPHIC MUSCLE. Arch Neurol. 1964 Sep;11:310–316. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1964.00460210088009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CREESE R., NORTHOVER J. Maintenance of isolated diaphragm with normal sodium content. J Physiol. 1961 Feb;155:343–357. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1961.sp006632. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CREESE R. Potassium in different layers of isolated diaphragm. J Physiol. 1960 Nov;154:133–144. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006568. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cazzato G., Walton J. N. The pathology of the muscle spindle. A study of biopsy material in various muscular and neuromuscular diseases. J Neurol Sci. 1968 Jul-Aug;7(1):15–70. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(68)90003-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Close R., Hoh J. F. Influence of temperature on isometric contractions of rat skeletal muscles. Nature. 1968 Mar 23;217(5134):1179–1180. doi: 10.1038/2171179a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Close R. Properties of motor units in fast and slow skeletal muscles of the rat. J Physiol. 1967 Nov;193(1):45–55. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008342. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FEINSTEIN B., LINDEGARD B., NYMAN E., WOHLFART G. Morphologic studies of motor units in normal human muscles. Acta Anat (Basel) 1955;23(2):127–142. doi: 10.1159/000140989. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Guth L. "Trophic" influences of nerve on muscle. Physiol Rev. 1968 Oct;48(4):645–687. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1968.48.4.645. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gutmann E., Hanzlíková V., Jakoubek B. Changes in the neuromuscular system during old age. Exp Gerontol. 1968 Aug;3(2):141–146. doi: 10.1016/0531-5565(68)90022-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Harris J. B. The resting membrane potential of fibres of fast and slow twitch muscles in normal and dystrophic mice. J Neurol Sci. 1971 Jan;12(1):45–52. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(71)90250-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hinterbuchner L. P., Angyan A., Hirsch M. Effects of series of tetani on dystrophic and normal muscles of mouse. Am J Physiol. 1966 Oct;211(4):915–918. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1966.211.4.915. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KRNJEVIC K., MILEDI R. Failure of neuromuscular propagation in rats. J Physiol. 1958 Mar 11;140(3):440–461. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MCPHEDRAN A. M., WUERKER R. B., HENNEMAN E. PROPERTIES OF MOTOR UNITS IN A HETEROGENEOUS PALE MUSCLE (M. GASTROCNEMIUS) OF THE CAT. J Neurophysiol. 1965 Jan;28:85–99. doi: 10.1152/jn.1965.28.1.85. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MCPHEDRAN A. M., WUERKER R. B., HENNEMAN E. PROPERTIES OF MOTOR UNITS IN A HOMOGENEOUS RED MUSCLE (SOLEUS) OF THE CAT. J Neurophysiol. 1965 Jan;28:71–84. doi: 10.1152/jn.1965.28.1.71. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mc Comas A. J., Sica R. E., Currie S. Muscular dystrophy: evidence for a neural factor. Nature. 1970 Jun 27;226(5252):1263–1264. doi: 10.1038/2261263a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McComas A. J., Mrozek K. Denervated muscle fibres in hereditary mouse dystrophy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1967 Dec;30(6):526–530. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.30.6.526. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McComas A. J., Sica R. E. Muscular dystrophy: myopathy or neuropathy? Lancet. 1970 May 23;1(7656):1119–1119. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(70)92792-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Michelson A. M., Russell E. S., Harman P. J. Dystrophia Muscularis: A HEREDITARY PRIMARY MYOPATHY IN THE HOUSE MOUSE. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1955 Dec 15;41(12):1079–1084. doi: 10.1073/pnas.41.12.1079. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PEARCE G. W., WALTON J. N. A histological study of muscle from the Bar Harbor strain of dystrophic mice. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1963 Jul;86:25–33. doi: 10.1002/path.1700860105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SANDOW A., BRUST M. Contractility of dystrophic mouse muscle. Am J Physiol. 1958 Sep;194(3):557–563. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1958.194.3.557. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WEST W. T., MURPHY E. D. Histopathology of hereditary, progressive muscular dystrophy in inbred strain 129 mice. Anat Rec. 1960 Jul;137:279–295. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091370306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]