title: Motor unit recruitment and derecruitment induced by brief increase in contraction amplitude of the human trapezius muscle.
abstract: The activity pattern of low-threshold human trapezius motor units was examined in response to brief, voluntary increases in contraction amplitude ('EMG pulse') superimposed on a constant contraction at 4-7 % of the surface electromyographic (EMG) response at maximal voluntary contraction (4-7 % EMGmax). EMG pulses at 15-20 % EMGmax were superimposed every minute on contractions of 5, 10, or 30 min duration. A quadrifilar fine-wire electrode recorded single motor unit activity and a surface electrode recorded simultaneously the surface EMG signal. Low-threshold motor units recruited at the start of the contraction were observed to stop firing while motor units of higher recruitment threshold stayed active. Derecruitment of a motor unit coincided with the end of an EMG pulse. The lowest-threshold motor units showed only brief silent periods. Some motor units with recruitment threshold up to 5 % EMGmax higher than the constant contraction level were recruited during an EMG pulse and kept firing throughout the contraction. Following an EMG pulse, there was a marked reduction in motor unit firing rates upon return of the surface EMG signal to the constant contraction level, outlasting the EMG pulse by 4 s on average. The reduction in firing rates may serve as a trigger to induce derecruitment. We speculate that the silent periods following derecruitment may be due to deactivation of non-inactivating inward current ('plateau potentials'). The firing behaviour of trapezius motor units in these experiments may thus illustrate a mechanism and a control strategy to reduce fatigue of motor units with sustained activity patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Westad
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Westgaard
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: De Luca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D011999:Recruitment, Neurophysiological / Q000502:physiology*