Modulations of corticospinal excitability following rapid ankle dorsiflexion in skill- and endurance-trained athletes

Abstract

Purpose Long-term sports training, such as skill and endurance training, leads to specific neuroplasticity. However, it remains unclear if muscle stretch-induced proprioceptive feedback influences corticospinal facilitation/inhibition differently between skill- and endurance-trained athletes. This study investigated modulation of corticospinal excitability following rapid ankle dorsiflexion between well-trained skill and endurance athletes. Methods Ten skill- and ten endurance-trained athletes participated in the study. Corticospinal excitability was tested by single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulations (TMS) at three different latencies following passive rapid ankle dorsiflexion. Motor evoked potential (MEP), short-latency intracortical inhibition (SICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF), and long-latency intracortical inhibition (LICI) were recorded by surface electromyography from the soleus muscle. Results Compared to immediately before ankle dorsiflexion (Onset), TMS induced significantly greater MEPs during the supraspinal reaction period (~ 120 ms after short-latency reflex, SLR) in the skill group only (from 1.7 ± 1.0 to 2.7 ± 1.8%M-max, P = 0.005) despite both conditions being passive. ICF was significantly greater over all latencies in skill than endurance athletes (F(3, 45) = 4.64, P = 0.007), although no between-group differences for stimulations at specific latencies (e.g., at SLR) were observed. Conclusion The skill group showed higher corticospinal excitability during the supraspinal reaction phase, which may indicate a “priming” of corticospinal excitability following rapid ankle dorsiflexion for a supraspinal reaction post-stretch, which appears absent in endurance-trained athletes.

Sex-Specific Reliability of Lower-Limb Corticospinal Excitability and Silent Periods

“…First, our corticospinal excitability data were not normalized to the maximum compound action potential (M-max). Normalization of TMS-derived MEPs has been common in TMS lower-limb studies as a means of reducing variability (4,14), although not all investigations have performed so (22). Our primary rationale for the lack of normalization was due to time constraints, as well as our group's inexperience with nerve stimulation of the biceps femoris, a composite muscle innervated by both the common fibular branch and the tibial branch of the sciatic nerve.…”

Effects of a Resistance Training Protocol on Physical Performance, Body Composition, Bone Metabolism, and Systemic Homeostasis in Patients Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study

“…Since resistance training results in an increase in site-specific bone density more than other training [ 81 , 82 , 83 ], the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of home-based strength training on physical performance, body composition, bone metabolism, and systemic homeostasis, in people with Parkinson’s disease. In the context of evaluating the effect of this training on physical performance, we also wanted to assess whether neck stiffness, a hallmark of PD [ 84 ], varies as a result of resistance training, because neck rigidity seems to be caused by the impossibility of voluntary control of the long-latency proprioceptive reflexes [ 85 ] and training is associated with improved corticospinal plasticity for motor learning [ 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 ]. Our results have shown, although in absolute value, an improved trend in all movements of the cervical ROM with a statistically significant improvement in the right lateral bending (°) ( p -value = 0.03).…”