Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
Increasing corticospinal excitability in the antagonist muscle during muscle relaxation with a tracking task
Naoshin Yoshida1, Tomofumi Yamaguchi, Kei Saitou
1Department of Rehabilitation, Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital , Yokosuka , Kanagawa , Japan .
Abstract:
The present study aimed to investigate corticospinal excitability changes during muscle relaxation with a tracking task. The motor-evoked potential, which was elicited from the flexor carpi radialis (agonist) and extensor carpi radialis (antagonist) muscles, was analyzed in terms of both the relaxation velocity and phase. Our results suggest that increasing corticospinal excitability in the antagonist muscle plays an important role in controlling the relaxation of the agonist muscle during gradual relaxation with a tracking task.
Related Concept Videos
Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open....
Classification of Skeletal Muscle Relaxants
Peripherally acting skeletal muscle relaxants interfere with the neurotransmission at the neuromuscular end plate to induce paralysis during...
Motor Unit Stimulation
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: Therapeutic Uses
Muscle Stimulation Frequency
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Peripherally and Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: A Comparison
Centrally acting muscle relaxants can be further divided into spasmolytic and antispasmodic drugs. Spasmolytic...

