Psychophysiological correlates of induced headaches

The psychophysiological correlates of induced headaches were examined. Subjects with frequent muscle-contraction headaches, frequent migraine headaches, or infrequent headaches were exposed to a 1-h cognitive stressor while multiple electromyographic and cardiovascular measures were monitored. The stressor was associated with significant changes in all psychophysiological measures. Eleven of 16 headache subjects and 2 of 8 control subjects developed headaches. Significant associations between several psychophysiological variables and headache occurrence were found and individual differences in the association between psychophysiological variables and headaches intensity were examined. The results were consistent with the hypothesized role of cardiovascular factors in the pathophysiology of muscle-contraction headache. This was the first controlled demonstration of headaches occurring as a function of environmental stressors.This research was supported by Grant 5-R01-NS-1875 from the National Institute of Health.     

Spontaneous tension oscillation in skinned bovine cardiac muscle

 Skinned fibres from bovine ventricles exhibited spontaneous tension oscillations when MgADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi) were added to the solution bathing fibres in the relaxed state (ADP-SPOC). A similar type of oscillation was observed at intermediate concentrations of free Ca²⁺ in the absence of MgADP and Pi (Ca-SPOC). To investigate the correlation between ADP-SPOC and Ca-SPOC, we constructed two-dimensional state diagrams of cardiac muscle using different concentrations of Pi (0–20 mM) and free Ca²⁺ [pCa=around 5 (+Ca²⁺), pCa=5.15–6.9 and +EGTA (–Ca²⁺)], with varying concentrations of MgADP (0–10 mM), with 2 mM MgATP and 2 mM free Mg²⁺ maintaining ionic strength at 0.15±0.01 M, pH 7.0, 25 °C. The three-dimensional (pCa-Pi-MgADP) state diagram thus obtained was divided into three regions, i.e. the contraction region in which tension oscillation was undetectable, the spontaneous tension oscillation (SPOC) region and the relaxation region. We found that the regions of ADP-SPOC and Ca-SPOC were continuously connected by a single oscillation region sandwiched between the contraction and relaxation regions. The state diagram, which encompasses physiological conditions, shows that the probability of SPOC is higher in cardiac muscle than in skeletal muscle. From these results, we suggest that, despite distinct ionic conditions, the molecular state of cross-bridges during SPOC is common to both ADP-SPOC and Ca-SPOC. Received 19 February 1996 / Received after revision: 16 July 1996 / Accepted: 14 August 1996     

利用表面肌电信号评价肌肉疲劳的方法

表面肌电信号分析是评价局部肌肉疲劳有效的工具。过去由于受信号处理技术的限制,对肌肉疲劳的评价仅局限于等长、恒力收缩。由于适合于非平稳信号分析的频谱估计技术的发展,使得动态收缩条件下的肌肉疲劳评价得以实现,在工效学、康复医学和运动医学等方面开启了新的应用领域。本文论述了利用表面肌电信号评价肌肉疲劳,特别是在肌肉动态收缩期间评价肌肉疲劳的方法,为进一步探讨肌肉疲劳的发生机制提供理论依据。     

Effect of postactivation potentiation on dynamic knee extension performance

Six men and four women performed, in separate trials, maximal dynamic knee extensions with loads of 15%, 30%, 45% and 60% of maximal isometric knee extension peak torque (MVC). The dynamic extensions were done after postactivation potentiation (PAP) had been induced with a 10-s MVC, and in a control trial without PAP. PAP, measured as the increase in evoked twitch torque, was 53 (4)% (SE) and 43 (3)% at the time of the first and second extensions with each load. PAP failed to increase the attained peak velocity with any load; on the contrary, there was a trend for peak velocity to decrease in the first extension, which occurred ≅15 s after the 10-s MVC. The results suggest that fatigue produced by the 10-s MVC suppressed any benefit that could be derived from the induced PAP. A surface electromyogram (EMG) recorded from one muscle of quadriceps femoris gave no indication of activation failure in the first knee extension; however, activation impairment specific to the rate of force development cannot be ruled out. It is concluded that the strategy employed, namely of having knee extensions performed soon after the 10-s MVC to maximize PAP at the time of performance, was unsuccessful because there had been insufficient time for recovery from fatigue. It is possible that a longer recovery time, even at the cost of a diminished PAP, may have proved beneficial. Accepted: 27 July 2000     

Changes in the P100 latency of the visual evoked potential and the saccadic reaction time during isometric contraction of the shoulder girdle elevators

We investigated changes in the P100 latency of the visual evoked potential (VEP) and the saccadic reaction time (SRT) in relation to the degree of activity of the shoulder girdle elevators. Muscle force was set in 10% increments from 0% to 50% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). The VEP was derived from a midline occipital electrode with reference electrodes on the ears when the right retina was stimulated through the eyelid by light emitting diodes while the eyes were closed. The P100 latency of the VEP was defined as the time from the stimulus onset to the main positive peak. The SRT was defined as the latency until the beginning of eye movement toward the lateral target, which was moved at random time-intervals. P100 latency was shortened until 30% of the MVC, and which it lengthened. The SRT changed in a pattern similar to that observed for the P100 latency. The ratio of the shortening in P100 latency relative to that of the SRT was approximately 20%. All data is presented as the mean value, plus the standard deviation. We believe that the information processing time in the neural pathway from the retina to the visual cortex was shortened up to a certain muscle force of the shoulder girdle elevators, and then this processing time lengthened. These findings indicate that shortening of information processing time in the neural pathway beyond the visual cortex is included in the shortening of the SRT.     

What does TnCDANZ fluorescence reveal about the thin filament state?

Fluorescence of skinned psoas fibres reconstituted with the troponin C subunit labelled with the fluorescent probe dansylaziridine (TnC_DANZ) increases upon activation with Ca²⁺. This fluorescence enhancement is due to Ca²⁺ binding to the Ca²⁺-specific binding sites of TnC_DANZ and attachment of cross-bridges to the actin filament. We found that approximately 20% of the enhanced fluorescence signal derived from Ca²⁺ binding to TnC_DANZ and 80% from cross-bridge attachment during maximal activation. Furthermore we studied the effects of different cross-bridge states on TnC_DANZ fluorescence. Weakly bound, non-force-generating cross-bridge states (pCa 8, low ionic strength) and rigor cross-bridges revealed similar effects on the TnC_DANZ fluorescence. Strongly attached, force-generating states, however, increased fluorescence to the greatest extent. These results suggests a complex system of reciprocal couplings between TnC and different attached cross-bridge states. Cooling or increase of inorganic phosphate decreased isometric force but hardly decreased fluorescence, suggesting the accumulation of attached cross-bridge states with low tension output.     

The reproducibility of test contractions for calibration of electromyographic measurements

Summary The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of electromyographic (EMG) measurements and specifically to test a calibration procedure with submaximal test contractions. Bipolar surface electrodes (20 mm fixed distance) were repositioned by a tracing sheet on both trapezius muscles, halfway between acromion and processus prominens. Submaximal test contractions were performed by keeping both arms straight abducted 90° and forward flexed 10° for 15-s periods. The arm position could be precisely reproduced in the frontal plane, but deviated forwards by 4° in the horizontal plane, where the sensitivity of the EMG response to arm position was lowest. The electrodes were repositioned within a radius of 3 mm with a probability of 90%. Large deviations in the EMG response were found within this radius and a significant depression of the EMG response was recorded over the middle part of the muscle (the innervation zone?). This change in sensitivity of the EMG response with electrode position occurred in parallel for the test and maximal contractions. The total coefficient of variation was estimated to be 23% for recurrent EMG measurements using the calibration procedure described.     

高雌激素血症对雌性心肌梗塞大鼠心肌舒缩性能的影响

本文研究了高雌激素血症对雌性心肌梗塞(MI)大鼠心肌舒缩性能的影响。结果:(1)MI组血浆雌二醇(E_2)先略升高而后降低,雌二醇处理MI组(MIE_2)血浆雌二醇明显升高。(2)MIE_2组心肌纤维直径比对照假手术组(CS)及MI组显著增大(10.65±0.59 VS 7.65±0.40及10.15±0.54gm,P<0.001,<0.02)。(3)两MI组的LVSP、±dp/dt max均显著降低,T-值明显延长,尤以MIE_2组更为显著(10.5±4.1 VS 6.2±4.6ms,P<0.02)。(4)两MI组动脉压显著降低,HR减慢,LVET延长;在9天观测点,MIE_2组的HR仍较MI组显著减慢、LVET明显延长。提示高雌激素血症可使雌性心肌梗塞大鼠心肌舒缩性能降低。     

Differences in the activation of m. biceps brachii in the control of slow isotonic movements and isometric contractions

Summary We have compared muscle activation in the control of slow isotonic movements and isometric contractions. Specific attention has been given to the contribution of the two force-grading mechanisms, the recruitment of motor units and the modulation of firing frequency in motor units that have already been recruited. The recruitment order of the m. biceps motor units under study was the same during isometric contractions and slow isotonic movements. However, the recruitment thresholds of the m. biceps units were considerably lower for both isotonic flexion and extension movements, even at velocities as low as 2 deg/s, than for isometric contractions. Furthermore, firing frequency at recruitment was found to depend on the motor task: at recruitment the motoneurone starts firing with a higher firing frequency during isotonic flexion movements and a lower firing frequency during isotonic extension movements than during isometric contractions. Two main conclusions can be drawn from these results. First of all, the concept of one single activation parameter (total synaptic drive?) cannot account for the motor-unit behaviour observed during our experiments: the relative contribution of the two forcegrading mechanisms is different for different tasks. Secondly, the distribution of activity among flexor motoneurone pools is different for isometric contractions and isotonic movements.