Repetitive axonal stimulation of the same single motor unit: a longitudinal tracking study.
We elicited three single motor unit action potentials (S-MUAPs) via multiple point stimulation and subjected them to repetitive stimulation (RS) in 3 healthy subjects. We tracked each S-MUAP and its RS trains over two separate sessions as well as the compound motor action potential (CMAP) RS trains obtained from the same muscle following whole nerve stimulation. Repetitive axonal stimulation yields consistent results when carefully performed with minimal variation in each S-MUAP RS train from session to session, providing previously unobtainable data regarding neuromuscular junction function in the same single motor unit over time. In this small, normative sample, no significant correlation between S-MUAP and CMAP RS responses was observed.
Neurology Electromyography Laboratory, Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
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Gooch
D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation*