Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Alterations in Muscle Tone lll01:11

Alterations in Muscle Tone lll

Rigidity and myotonia are distinct abnormalities of muscle tone that affect resistance and relaxation during movement. Although both involve altered muscle contraction, they arise from different neurological and muscular mechanisms.CharacteristicsRigidity is characterized by uniform resistance to passive movement across the entire range, independent of speed, affecting flexors and extensors equally. It may appear as lead-pipe rigidity (smooth, constant resistance) or cogwheel rigidity...
Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle01:28

Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle

The clinical conditions affecting the skeletal muscle tissue are broadly categorized as musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders.
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
Alterations in Muscle Tone ll01:12

Alterations in Muscle Tone ll

Alterations in muscle tone are common manifestations of neurological disorders and reflect dysfunction within different nervous system regions. Spasticity, paratonia, and dystonia represent distinct forms of hypertonia, each with unique mechanisms, clinical features, and diagnostic importance.CharacteristicsSpasticity happens from upper motor neuron lesions and is characterized by velocity-dependent resistance to passive movement. Clinical features include:Exaggerated deep tendon reflexesClonus...
Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

Motor Unit Stimulation

When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects01:21

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects

Skeletal muscle relaxants are widely used for muscle paralysis and relieving pain following any muscle injury or stiffness. However, depending on the drug type, they can have adverse effects that range from mild to severe. Usually, nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers have minimal side effects. For example, drugs like d-tubocurarine, cisatracurium, and rocuronium cause hypotension, whereas drugs like baclofen, when stopped abruptly, can lead to the recurrence of spastic conditions.
Unlike...
Muscle Stimulation Frequency01:22

Muscle Stimulation Frequency

The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Beyond hypoxia: Systemic acidemia and respiratory insufficiency in Lance-Adams syndrome.

Journal of the neurological sciences·2026
Same author

Stereotypies misdiagnosed as functional neurological disorder in late-onset Niemann-Pick C.

Parkinsonism & related disorders·2026
Same author

Serious side effects of Alzheimer's immunotherapy demand scrutiny.

Ageing research reviews·2026
Same author

Functional and Structural Brain Imaging Correlates of Treatment Response in Functional Movement Disorder.

Current neurology and neuroscience reports·2026
Same author

Systematic review of movement disorders mislabeled as functional: when incongruence misleads.

Journal of neurology·2026
Same author

One patient, one destiny: A cluster analysis of the Parkinson's progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort.

Clinical parkinsonism & related disorders·2026
Same journal

Key Considerations in Telestroke Program Management.

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)·2026
Same journal

Neurology's Action Potential: Delivering on the Promise of Brain Health.

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)·2026
Same journal

Erratum.

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)·2026
Same journal

Management of Large Artery Atherosclerosis.

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)·2026
Same journal

Thrombolysis, Thrombectomy, and Antithrombotic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)·2026
Same journal

Stroke in Children and Younger Adults.

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale
07:35

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

Published on: July 8, 2025

Myoclonus.

Alberto J Espay, Robert Chen

    Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)
    |October 5, 2013
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Myoclonus, a challenging movement disorder, has new insights into its causes and classification. Electrophysiology aids diagnosis, guiding targeted treatments like levetiracetam for cortical myoclonus.

    More Related Videos

    Paradigms for Pharmacological Characterization of C. elegans Synaptic Transmission Mutants
    18:01

    Paradigms for Pharmacological Characterization of C. elegans Synaptic Transmission Mutants

    Published on: August 18, 2008

    Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia
    10:41

    Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia

    Published on: September 12, 2020

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: May 7, 2026

    Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale
    07:35

    Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

    Published on: July 8, 2025

    Paradigms for Pharmacological Characterization of C. elegans Synaptic Transmission Mutants
    18:01

    Paradigms for Pharmacological Characterization of C. elegans Synaptic Transmission Mutants

    Published on: August 18, 2008

    Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia
    10:41

    Implantation of Osmotic Pumps and Induction of Stress to Establish a Symptomatic, Pharmacological Mouse Model for DYT/PARK-ATP1A3 Dystonia

    Published on: September 12, 2020

    Area of Science:

    • Neurology
    • Movement Disorders
    • Neurophysiology

    Background:

    • Myoclonus presents a complex diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
    • Systematic assessment of movement characteristics is crucial for diagnosis and management.

    Observation:

    • Cortical myoclonus is increasingly linked to cerebellar disorders.
    • Orthostatic myoclonus is observed in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer disease.
    • Novel genetic causes for myoclonus-dystonia syndrome and hyperekplexia have been identified.

    Findings:

    • Electrophysiologic testing is key to differentiating myoclonus and determining its origin (cortical, subcortical, spinal).
    • Levetiracetam shows efficacy in cortical myoclonus.
    • Clonazepam is the primary treatment for subcortical and spinal myoclonus.

    Implications:

    • Accurate classification of myoclonus subtypes improves treatment selection.
    • Understanding the genetic basis of myoclonus expands diagnostic possibilities.
    • Reclassification of conditions like palatal myoclonus refines diagnostic criteria.