Relationship between EMG-detected and ultrasound-detected fasciculations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A prospective cohort study

ObjectivesFasciculation potentials (FP) are an important consideration in the electrophysiological diagnosis of ALS. Muscle ultrasonography (MUS) has a higher sensitivity in detecting fasciculations than electromyography (EMG), while in some cases, it is unable to detect EMG-detected fasciculations. We aimed to investigate the differences of FP between the muscles with and without MUS-detected fasciculations (MUS-fas).MethodsThirty-one consecutive patients with sporadic ALS were prospectively recruited and in those, both needle EMG and MUS were performed. Analyses of the amplitude, duration, and number of phases of EMG-detected FPs were performed for seven muscles per patient, and results were compared between the muscles with and without MUS-fas in the total cohort.ResultsThe mean amplitude and phase number of FP were significantly lower in patients with EMG-detected FP alone (0.39 ± 0.25 mV and 3.21 ± 0.88, respectively) than in those with both FP and MUS-fas (1.22 ± 0.92 mV and 3.74 ± 1.39, respectively; p < 0.0001 and p = 0.017, Welch’s t-test).ConclusionSmall FP may be undetectable with MUS. MUS cannot replace EMG in the diagnostic approach for ALS.SignificanceClinicians should use a combination of EMG and MUS for the detection and quantitative analysis of fasciculation in ALS.     

Vibratory stimulus to the masseter muscle impairs the oral fine motor control during biting tasks

PurposeTo investigated the effect of vibratory stimulus on masseter muscles during oral fine motor biting tasks.MethodsSixteen healthy individuals (age: 24.5 ± 2.4 years) participated in experiment I during which the participants were asked to “hold and split” half a roasted peanut placed on a force transducer with their front teeth. The participant performed ten series with ten trials of the “hold and split” behavioral task while vibratory stimulus was applied on the masseter muscle every alternate series. Further, fourteen participants participated (age: 25.2 ± 4.8 years) in experiment II during which they performed a series each of the behavioral task at baseline, an adjusted baseline without and with vibration as well as with and without visual feedback. Hold and split forces along with the variability of hold force and duration and force rate during the split were measured.ResultsThe results of the study showed an increase in the magnitude of the hold force (P = 0.002), force rate during the split (P < 0.001) and a significant decrease in the duration of split (P < 0.001) due to the vibratory stimulus. However, there was no significant effect of the vibratory stimulus on the variability of hold forces (P = 0.879) or mean split force (P = 0.683) during the “hold and split” behavioral task. The results of experiment II also showed an increase in hold force due to the vibratory stimulus (P < 0.001).ConclusionsVibratory stimulus to the masseter muscles impairs the oral force control during a standardized biting task and provide further insight into the sensorimotor regulation of the masticatory system.     

咬肌与颅面形态的关系

目的探讨咬肌与颅面形态之间的关系，了解咬肌体积与邻近骨骼结构的大小及形态的相关性。方法对40例要求改变脸型者进行磁共振成像（MRI）测量，人体测量，头部正位、侧位和下颌骨曲面断层X线检查，测量并计算咬肌体积（MsV），测量头长（HL）、头宽（HB）、面长（FL）、面宽（FB）、下颌角间宽（IB）、下颌骨体长（CL）、下颌角切线长（MAL）、下颌角角度（JA），计算颜面形态指数FI（FL／FB）、头颅指数C（IHB／HL）。用SPSS11．5软件统计分析MsV与HI。HB、FL、FB、IB、CL、MAL、JA、FI、CI之间的相关性。结果MsV与JA呈明显负相关，与CL、MAL、IB、FB、HL呈明显正相关，与CL、FI、HB无明显相关性。结论咬肌肥大可能是方脸面型的成因之一，是影响面型的重要因素。     

Single fiber electromyography of extraocular muscles: A sensitive method for the diagnosis of ocular myasthenia gravis

We performed single fiber electromyography (SFEMG) in the superior rectus and levator palpebralis (SR-LP) muscles of 17 patients with pure ocular myasthenia gravis (MG) and 9 controls. Thirteen patients were also assessed with SFEMG in the orbicularis oculi (OO) muscle. All the MG patients but none of the control subjects showed abnormal SFEMG jitter in the SR-LP muscles. On the other hand, only 62% of the MG patients had abnormal SFEMG jitter in the OO muscle. The procedure was well tolerated by the patients, and complications were minor. We conclude that SFEMG of the SR–LP muscles is a safe and highly sensitive technique for the diagnosis of ocular MG. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Possible mechanisms related to contraction of the bovine iris sphincter in the presence of acetylcholine and carbachol

Using tension-recording methods, we compared the effects of acetylcholine (Ach) and carbachol on the bovine iris sphincter. The isolated muscle strips were mounted in a 0.2 ml organ bath, through which Krebs solution at 36 °C flowed continuously. There was a tenthousandfold difference in potency between carbachol and Ach in this tissue. Neostigmine or eserine, acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitors, produced a larger contraction of the muscle than did Ach. Ach-induced contractions were potentiated by low doses of anti-AchEs and were inhibited by atropine.This in vitro study suggests that Ach and/or endogenous chemical agents may be spontaneously released from tissues and that AchE activities in this tissue strongly inhibit or mask the Ach action, probably in order to protect the nerve terminals from released Ach.     

碘杂环化合物对离体豚鼠心乳头肌动作电位和收缩力的作用

采用细胞内微电极记录技术,同步观察了3,6-[二甲氨基]-二苯并碘因甲酸盐(IHC-64)对豚鼠心乳头肌细胞动作电位和收缩力的作用。50μmol/L IHC-64抑制心肌收缩力,而不影响快反应动作电位。增加IHC-64浓度,动作电位0相最大峰值(APA)、除极速率(dp/dt_(max))和复极50％和90％时程(APD_(50)、APD_(90))被明显抑制。IHC-64抑制慢反应动作电位,提高细胞外钙浓度可拮抗这种抑制。结果提示,IHC-64主要抑制慢Ca~(2+)内流,同时也部分抑制快Na~+内流,它可能是一种新型B类钙通道阻滞剂。     

Pain and faulty breathing: a pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to observe both relaxed and deep breathing patterns in a convenience sample to determine the incidence of normal versus faulty patterns of respiration. These observations were then combined with respondent answers to a survey on pain history to determine if there is any correlation between faulty breathing and musculo-skeletal pain patterns. If such a correlation can be made, then we propose that clinicians working with chronic pain patients may have improved outcomes if they address and correct faulty breathing patterns. Based on this study, it is suggested to include the evaluation and treatment of faulty respiration in the rehabilitation of chronic musculo-skeletal conditions, most notably cervical pain.     

蝙蝠葛碱对奎尼丁诱发的豚鼠乳头肌早后去极化及触发活动的作用

用标准微电极技术观察了中药蝙蝠葛的有效成分蝙蝠葛碱对奎尼丁诱发的豚鼠乳头肌早后去极化及触发活动的影响. 结果表明，奎尼丁2 μmol·L^-1能诱发豚鼠乳头肌早后去极化及触发活动,早后去极化的发生率为8/20, 幅值为13.4±2.6 mV, 起始电位为-42±5 mV, 触发活动的发生率为2/20. 蝙蝠葛碱20 μmol·L^-1能明显抑制奎尼丁诱发的早后去极化及触发活动，早后去极化的发生率为4/20，幅值为7.3±1.1 mV，无触发活动. 结果提示蝙蝠葛碱具有抗早后去极化所致心律失常.