Quadriceps muscle stimulation evokes heteronymous inhibition onto soleus with limited Ia activation compared to femoral nerve stimulation

Lyle, Mark A.; Cuadra, Cristian; Wolf, Steven L.

doi:10.1007/s00221-022-06422-7

Cited by 4 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…A primary finding of this study was that Q stimulation resulted in about half the heteronymous excitation of that resulting from FN stimulation. These data are consistent with several studies PLOS ONE [3,[12][13][14] that, taken together, support the utility of muscle stimulation as a way to examine non-spindle related heteronymous circuits in healthy young adults with less or no influence from heteronymous excitation. While the excitation of the H-reflex from FN stimulation was generally larger than that for Q stimulation within a subject and on average, heteronymous excitation elicited by Q stimulation was evident in some individuals.…”

Section: Heteronymous Excitation From Fn and Q Onto Sol H-reflex And ...supporting

confidence: 90%

“…One piezoelectric accelerometer (Model A352C65, Model 482C16 Four Channel, PCB Piezotronics, Inc, Depew, NY, USA) was placed on the muscle belly of VL to help confirm motor threshold by identifying the onset of muscle twitches [3]. The criteria for FN stimulation motor threshold was confirmed in the test position (knee flexed at 40 degrees) as the minimal current intensity that produced: 1) a visible M-wave on VL EMG, 2) palpable contraction in VL and VM, 3) and accelerometer onset from VL below �20 ms from stimulation [3]. Stimulation of the quadriceps muscles was achieved with two rectangular adhesive electrodes (7.5 x 13 cm ValuTrode, Axelgaard manufacturing Co., Ltd, CA, USA) positioned on motor point areas distally (VM) and proximally (VL-RF) (Fig 1A).…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Proprioceptive feedback from human lower limb muscles have widespread excitatory and inhibitory heteronymous spinal projections within the spinal cord that influence motor output of muscles throughout the limb, even those spanning different joints [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. The ability of heteronymous connections to influence motor output of distant muscles suggests a functional role in facilitating interjoint coordination (i.e., neural linkages) [8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Stimulation of the muscle belly with surface electrodes or intramuscular fine wire elicits heteronymous inhibitory effects (e.g. -Golgi tendon organ and recurrent inhibition) with reduced or absent heteronymous muscle spindle excitation in animals [ 12 , 13 ] and humans [ 3 , 12 , 14 ]. Of most relevance to the current study, Meunier et al [ 14 ] found that stimulating the vastus lateralis motor point resulted in a much smaller increase in soleus motor unit firing probability compared to femoral nerve stimulation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of most relevance to the current study, Meunier et al [ 14 ] found that stimulating the vastus lateralis motor point resulted in a much smaller increase in soleus motor unit firing probability compared to femoral nerve stimulation. Stimulation of the quadriceps muscle belly with surface electrodes similarly evoked inhibition of ongoing soleus EMG with similar onset, magnitude, and duration but with much reduced heteronymous excitation when compared to femoral nerve (FN) stimulation [ 3 ]. In contrast, Barbeau et al [ 15 ] reported that vastus lateralis motor point stimulation elicited a facilitation of the SOL H-reflex of the same magnitude as femoral nerve stimulation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differential effect of heteronymous feedback from femoral nerve and quadriceps muscle stimulation onto soleus H-reflex

Cuadra,

Wolf,

Lyle

2023

PLoS ONE

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Excitatory feedback from muscle spindles, and inhibitory feedback from Golgi tendon organs and recurrent inhibitory circuits are widely distributed within the spinal cord to modulate activity between human lower limb muscles. Heteronymous feedback is most commonly studied in humans by stimulating peripheral nerves, but the unique effect of non-spindle heteronymous feedback is difficult to determine due to the lower threshold of excitatory spindle axons. A few studies suggest stimulation of the muscle belly preferentially elicits non-spindle heteronymous feedback. However, there remains a lack of consensus on the differential effect of nerve and muscle stimulation onto the H-reflex, and the relation of the heteronymous effects onto H-reflex compared to that onto ongoing EMG has not been determined. In this cross-sectional study, we compared excitatory and inhibitory effects from femoral nerve and quadriceps muscle belly stimulation onto soleus H-reflex size in 15 able-bodied participants and in a subset also compared heteronymous effects onto ongoing soleus EMG at 10% and 20% max. Femoral nerve stimulation elicited greater excitation of the H-reflex compared to quadriceps stimulation. The differential effect was also observed onto ongoing soleus EMG at 20% max but not 10%. Femoral nerve and quadriceps stimulation elicited similar inhibition of the soleus H-reflexes, and these results were better associated with soleus EMG at 20%. The results support surface quadriceps muscles stimulation as a method to preferentially study heteronymous inhibition at least in healthy adults. The primary benefit of using muscle stimulation is expected to be in persons with abnormal, prolonged heteronymous excitation. These data further suggest heteronymous feedback should be evaluated with H-reflex or onto ongoing EMG of at least 20% max to identify group differences or modulation of heteronymous feedback in response to treatment or task.

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Section: Heteronymous Excitation From Fn and Q Onto Sol H-reflex And ...supporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differential effect of heteronymous feedback from femoral nerve and quadriceps muscle stimulation onto soleus H-reflex

Cuadra,

Wolf,

Lyle

2023

PLoS ONE

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Reduced inhibition from quadriceps onto soleus after acute quadriceps fatigue suggests Golgi tendon organ contribution to heteronymous inhibition

Cuadra,

De Boef,

Luong

et al. 2024

Eur J of Neuroscience

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Heteronymous inhibition between lower limb muscles is primarily attributed to recurrent inhibitory circuits in humans but could also arise from Golgi tendon organs (GTOs). Distinguishing between recurrent inhibition and mechanical activation of GTOs is challenging because their heteronymous effects are both elicited by stimulation of nerves or a muscle above motor threshold. Here, the unique influence of mechanically activated GTOs was examined by comparing the magnitude of heteronymous inhibition from quadriceps (Q) muscle stimulation onto ongoing soleus electromyographic at five Q stimulation intensities (1.5–2.5× motor threshold) before and after an acute bout of stimulation‐induced Q fatigue. Fatigue was used to decrease Q stimulation evoked force (i.e., decreased GTO activation) despite using the same pre‐fatigue stimulation currents (i.e., same antidromic recurrent inhibition input). Thus, a decrease in heteronymous inhibition after Q fatigue and a linear relation between stimulation‐evoked torque and inhibition both before and after fatigue would support mechanical activation of GTOs as a source of inhibition. A reduction in evoked torque but no change in inhibition would support recurrent inhibition. After fatigue, Q stimulation‐evoked knee torque, heteronymous inhibition magnitude and inhibition duration were significantly decreased for all stimulation intensities. In addition, heteronymous inhibition magnitude was linearly related to twitch‐evoked knee torque before and after fatigue. These findings support mechanical activation of GTOs as a source of heteronymous inhibition along with recurrent inhibition. The unique patterns of heteronymous inhibition before and after fatigue across participants suggest the relative contribution of GTOs, and recurrent inhibition may vary across persons.

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Heteronymous feedback from quadriceps onto soleus in stroke survivors

Cuadra,

Wolf,

Lyle

2024

Preprint

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Background: Recent findings suggest increased excitatory heteronymous feedback from quadriceps onto soleus may contribute to abnormal coactivation of knee and ankle extensors after stroke. However, there is lack of consensus on whether persons post-stroke exhibit altered heteronymous reflexes and, when present, the origin of increased excitation (i.e. increased excitation alone and/or decreased inhibition). This study examined heteronymous excitation and inhibition from quadriceps onto soleus in paretic, nonparetic, and age-matched control limbs to determine whether increased excitation was due to excitatory and/or reduced inhibitory reflex circuits. A secondary purpose was to examine whether heteronymous reflex magnitudes were related to clinical measures of lower limb recovery, walking-speed, and dynamic balance. Methods: Heteronymous excitation and inhibition from quadriceps onto soleus were examined in fourteen persons post-stroke and fourteen age-matched unimpaired participants. Heteronymous feedback was elicited by femoral nerve and quadriceps muscle stimulation in separate trials while participants tonically activated soleus at 20% max. Fugl-Myer assessment of lower extremity, 10-meter walk test, and Mini-BESTest were assessed in stroke survivors. Results: Heteronymous excitation and inhibition onsets, durations, and magnitudes were not different between paretic, nonparetic or age-matched unimpaired limbs. Quadriceps stimulation elicited excitation that was half the magnitude of femoral nerve stimulation. Femoral nerve elicited paretic limb heteronymous excitation was positively correlated with walking speed but did not reach significance because only a subset of paretic limbs exhibited excitation (n = 8, Spearman r = 0.69, P = 0.058). Conclusions: Heteronymous feedback from quadriceps onto soleus assessed in a seated posture was not impaired in persons post-stroke. Despite being unable to identify whether reduced inhibition contributes to abnormal excitation reported in prior studies, our results indicate quadriceps stimulation may allow a better estimate of heteronymous inhibition in those that exhibit exaggerated excitation. Heteronymous excitation magnitude in the paretic limb was positively correlated with self-selected walking speed suggesting paretic limb excitation at the higher end of a normal range may facilitate walking ability after stroke. Future studies are needed to identify whether heteronymous feedback from Q onto SOL is altered after stroke in upright postures and during motor tasks as a necessary next step to identify mechanisms underlying motor impairment.

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Quadriceps muscle stimulation evokes heteronymous inhibition onto soleus with limited Ia activation compared to femoral nerve stimulation

Cited by 4 publications

References 58 publications

Differential effect of heteronymous feedback from femoral nerve and quadriceps muscle stimulation onto soleus H-reflex

Differential effect of heteronymous feedback from femoral nerve and quadriceps muscle stimulation onto soleus H-reflex

Reduced inhibition from quadriceps onto soleus after acute quadriceps fatigue suggests Golgi tendon organ contribution to heteronymous inhibition

Heteronymous feedback from quadriceps onto soleus in stroke survivors

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