title: Achilles tendon vibration-induced changes in plantar flexor corticospinal excitability.
abstract: Daily Achilles tendon vibration has been shown to increase muscle force, likely via corticospinal neural adaptations. The aim of the present study was to determine the extent by which corticospinal excitability is influenced during direct Achilles tendon vibration. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were elicited in the soleus (SOL), gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and tibialis anterior (TA) by transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortical area of the leg with and without Achilles tendon vibration at various frequencies (50, 80 and 110 Hz). Contralateral homologues were also investigated. SOL and GM MEP amplitude significantly increased by 226 ± 188 and 66 ± 39%, respectively, during Achilles tendon vibration, without any difference between the tested frequencies. No MEP changes were reported for TA or contralateral homologues. Increased SOL and GM MEP amplitude suggests increased vibration-induced corticospinal excitability independent of vibration frequency.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie de l'Exercice, Université de Lyon, 42023, Saint Etienne, France, thomas.lapole@univ-st-etienne.fr.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lapole
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Temesi
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gimenez
authors.forename: Pierrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Arnal
authors.forename: Guillaume Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petitjean
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001703:Biophysics; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000502:physiology*; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; D014732:Vibration; D055815:Young Adult