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 Experiment Videos

Modification of human spinal stretch reflexes: preliminary studies.

M L Evatt1, S L Wolf, R L Segal

  • 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322.

Neuroscience Letters
|November 6, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Humans can consciously control their spinal stretch reflex (SSR) amplitude. This finding suggests potential therapeutic applications for hyperactive reflexes and performance enhancement by modifying the SSR.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Constraint Induced Movement Techniques To Facilitate Upper Extremity Use in Stroke Patients.

Topics in stroke rehabilitation·2016
Same author

Plasticity in the Central Nervous System: Operant Conditioning of the Spinal Stretch Reflex.

Topics in stroke rehabilitation·2016
Same author

Foreword.

Topics in stroke rehabilitation·2016
Same author

Home-based Reach-to-Grasp training for people after stroke is feasible: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Clinical rehabilitation·2016
Same author

Electromyographic Biofeedback in Exercise Programs.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2016
Same author

Best practice for arm recovery post stroke: an international application.

Physiotherapy·2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • The human spinal stretch reflex (SSR) plays a role in movement and posture.
  • Modulating the SSR could be beneficial for treating neurological conditions with hyperreflexia or for enhancing motor performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether humans can voluntarily modulate the amplitude of their biceps brachii SSR.
  • To determine if real-time feedback influences the ability to control SSR amplitude.

Main Methods:

  • Participants received auditory feedback of their biceps brachii SSR amplitude.
  • Subjects were instructed to either increase (uptrain) or decrease (downtrain) their SSR amplitude.
  • The study involved 9 healthy human subjects.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Eight out of nine subjects successfully modified their SSR amplitude in the instructed direction.
  • Subjects demonstrated the ability to both increase and decrease SSR amplitude voluntarily.
  • Feedback was crucial in enabling subjects to achieve modulation.

Conclusions:

  • Human SSR amplitude is modifiable through volitional control and biofeedback.
  • This suggests potential for therapeutic interventions targeting the SSR.
  • Findings align with previous observations in non-human primates, indicating conserved mechanisms of motor control.