Collateral nerve sprouting and twitch forces of single motor units in conditions with partial denervation in man |
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Authors: | R Dengler A Konstanzer S Hesse M Schubert W Wolf |
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Institution: | Department of Neurology, Technical University Munich, F.R.G. |
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Abstract: | Single motor units (MUs) were studied in the first dorsal interosseus muscle of 7 patients with slight partial denervation and in 10 controls. MU action potentials were recorded using the macro-EMG technique and their size was taken to assess collateral nerve sprouting. Simultaneously, the muscle force was monitored to determine the voluntary recruitment thresholds of the MUs and spike-triggered-averaging was applied to measure their twitch forces. At comparable force recruitment thresholds, both macro-EMG potentials and twitch forces were increased in the patients. We conclude, that collateral nerve sprouting increases MU force and can compensate for MU loss. |
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