title: Spinal cord excitability is not influenced by elevated blood lactate levels.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine the association of high blood lactate levels, induced with a maximal cycling or with an intravenous infusion, with spinal cord excitability. The study was carried out on 17 male athletes; all the subjects performed a maximal cycling test on a mechanically braked cycloergometer, while 6 of them were submitted to the intravenous infusion of a lactate solution (3 mg/kg in 1 min). Before the exercise or the injection, also at the end as well as 5 and 10 min after the conclusion, venous blood lactate was measured and excitability of the spinal α-motoneurons was evaluated by using the H reflex technique. In both experimental conditions, it has been observed that an exhaustive exercise is associated with a strong increase of blood lactate (but not of blood glucose) and with a significant reduction of spinal excitability. Since a similar augment of blood lactate induced by an intravenous infusion, in subjects not performing any exercise, is not associated with significant changes of spinal excitability, it can be concluded that the increase of blood lactate levels during a maximal exercise is not per se capable of modifying the excitability of spinal α-motoneurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, and Neurological Operative Unit, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Marinella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coco
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alagona
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perciavalle
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cicirata
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perciavalle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D056352:Athletes; D005080:Exercise Test; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000379:methods; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid