Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1972 Dec;35(6):853–860. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.35.6.853

Interaction between voluntary contraction and tonic stretch reflex transmission in normal and spastic patients

Peter D Neilson 1,2,3,1
PMCID: PMC494192  PMID: 4346023

Abstract

Transmission characteristics of tonic stretch reflex (TSR) pathways in both normal and spastic patients have been measured during different levels of sustained voluntary contraction of the biceps brachii muscle. A cross-correlation technique of analysis was used to separate reflex responses from the total electromyographic activity. TSR transmission in normal subjects was observed to change with the level of voluntary contraction; sensitivity to stretch increased approximately three-fold as the subject stiffened the arm by simultaneously contracting flexor and extensor muscles. In contrast, TSR transmission did not alter during voluntary contraction in spastic patients. It is proposed that in spastic patients supraspinal modulation of reflex transmission is impaired because hypersensitive spinal reflexes short-circuit long loop pathways.

Full text

PDF
853

Selected References

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

  1. ANDERSSON S., GERNANDT B. E. Ventral root discharge in response to vestibular and proprioceptive stimulation. J Neurophysiol. 1956 Nov;19(6):524–543. doi: 10.1152/jn.1956.19.6.524. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. De Gail P., Lance J. W., Neilson P. D. Differential effects on tonic and phasic reflex mechanisms produced by vibration of muscles in man. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1966 Feb;29(1):1–11. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.29.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GASSEL M. M., DIAMANTOPOULOS E. THE JENDRASSIK MANEUVER. I. THE PATTERN OF REINFORCEMENT OF MONOSYNAPTIC REFLEXES IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND PATIENTS WITH SPASTICITY OF RIGIDITY. Neurology. 1964 Jun;14:555–560. doi: 10.1212/wnl.14.6.555. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GRANIT R., KELLERTH J. O., WILLIAMS T. D. 'ADJACENT' AND 'REMOTE' POST-SYNAPTIC INHIBITION IN MOTONEURONES STIMULATED BY MUSCLE STRETCH. J Physiol. 1964 Nov;174:453–472. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007497. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gillies J. D., Burke D. J., Lance J. W. Supraspinal control of tonic vibration reflex. J Neurophysiol. 1971 Mar;34(2):302–309. doi: 10.1152/jn.1971.34.2.302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gottlieb G. L., Agarwal G. C., Stark L. Interactions between voluntary and postural mechanisms of thehuman motor system. J Neurophysiol. 1970 May;33(3):365–381. doi: 10.1152/jn.1970.33.3.365. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HIGGINS D. C., PARTRIDGE L. D., GLASER G. H. A transient cerebellar influence on stretch responses. J Neurophysiol. 1962 Sep;25:684–692. doi: 10.1152/jn.1962.25.5.684. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hagbarth K. E., Eklund G. The effects of muscle vibration in spasticity, rigidity, and cerebellar disorders. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1968 Jun;31(3):207–213. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.31.3.207. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Higgins D. C. Vestibular component in dynamic muscle stretch. Am J Physiol. 1968 Mar;214(3):482–487. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1968.214.3.482. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Marsden C. D., Meadows J. C., Hodgson H. J. Observations on the reflex response to muscle vibration in man and its voluntary control. Brain. 1969;92(4):829–846. doi: 10.1093/brain/92.4.829. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Neilson P. D. Frequency-response characteristics of the tonic stretch reflexes of biceps brachii muscle in intact man. Med Biol Eng. 1972 Jul;10(4):460–472. doi: 10.1007/BF02474194. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Neilson P. D. Speed of response or bandwidth of voluntary system controlling elbow position in intact man. Med Biol Eng. 1972 Jul;10(4):450–459. doi: 10.1007/BF02474193. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Poppele R. E., Terzuolo C. A. Myotatic reflex: its input-output relation. Science. 1968 Feb 16;159(3816):743–745. doi: 10.1126/science.159.3816.743. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Rosenthal N. P., McKean T. A., Roberts W. J., Terzuolo C. A. Frequency analysis of stretch reflex and its main subsystems in triceps surae muscles of the cat. J Neurophysiol. 1970 Nov;33(6):713–749. doi: 10.1152/jn.1970.33.6.713. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES