title: Increased spinal reflex excitability is associated with enhanced central activation during voluntary lengthening contractions in human spinal cord injury.
abstract: This study of chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects investigated patterns of central motor drive (i.e., central activation) of the plantar flexors using interpolated twitches, and modulation of soleus H-reflexes during lengthening, isometric, and shortening muscle actions. In a recent study of the knee extensors, SCI subjects demonstrated greater central activation ratio (CAR) values during lengthening (i.e., eccentric) maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs), compared with during isometric or shortening (i.e., concentric) MVCs. In contrast, healthy controls demonstrated lower lengthening CAR values compared with their isometric and shortening CARs. For the present investigation, we hypothesized SCI subjects would again produce their highest CAR values during lengthening MVCs, and that these increases in central activation were partially attributable to greater efficacy of Ia-α motoneuron transmission during muscle lengthening following SCI. Results show SCI subjects produced higher CAR values during lengthening vs. isometric or shortening MVCs (all P < 0.001). H-reflex testing revealed normalized H-reflexes (maximal SOL H-reflex-to-maximal M-wave ratios) were greater for SCI than controls during passive (P = 0.023) and active (i.e., 75% MVC; P = 0.017) lengthening, suggesting facilitation of Ia transmission post-SCI. Additionally, measures of spinal reflex excitability (passive lengthening maximal SOL H-reflex-to-maximal M-wave ratio) in SCI were positively correlated with soleus electromyographic activity and CAR values during lengthening MVCs (both P < 0.05). The present study presents evidence that patterns of dynamic muscle activation are altered following SCI, and that greater central activation during lengthening contractions is partly due to enhanced efficacy of Ia-α motoneuron transmission.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois;
authors.forename: Hyosub E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy & Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; and.
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Corcos
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois tgh@uic.edu.
authors.forename: T George
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Hornby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010045:Outpatients; D012021:Reflex, Abnormal / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014836:Volition / Q000502:physiology
keywords: H-reflex; central activation ratio; eccentric contractions; spinal cord injury