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

Motor cortex stimulation in intact man. 2. Multiple descending volleys.

B L Day1, J C Rothwell, P D Thompson

  • 1MRC Movement Disorders Research Group, University Department of Neurology, DeCrespigny Park, London.

Brain : a Journal of Neurology
|October 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

A single cortical shock can trigger repetitive firing in first dorsal interosseous (FDI) motoneurons, leading to muscle twitches exceeding peripheral nerve stimulation. This repetitive neural activity was confirmed using a collision technique and EMG analysis.

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

Understanding the role of cerebellum in early Parkinson's disease: a structural and functional MRI study.

NPJ Parkinson's disease·2024
Same author

Altered sensorimotor integration in multiple sclerosis: A combined neurophysiological and functional MRI study.

Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·2021
Same author

Abnormal motor surround inhibition associated with cortical and deep grey matter involvement in multiple sclerosis.

Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·2021
Same author

Is there evidence of bradykinesia in essential tremor?

European journal of neurology·2020
Same author

Does EMG provide essential information for the diagnosis and treatment of blepharospasm?

Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·2020
Same author

Corticobasal syndrome: neuroimaging and neurophysiological advances.

European journal of neurology·2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Cortical stimulation can evoke motor responses.
  • The precise mechanisms of motoneuron recruitment and firing patterns following cortical input are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether a single cortical stimulus can induce repetitive firing in motoneurons of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle.
  • To characterize the nature of this repetitive firing and its underlying mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Isometric force measurements of the FDI muscle using a strain gauge.
  • A collision technique involving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral ulnar nerve stimulation.
  • Electromyography (EMG) to record muscle activity.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Post-stimulus time histograms to analyze single motor unit firing patterns.

    • Main Results:

    • Single anodal cortical shocks elicited FDI muscle twitches that, at high intensities, surpassed forces from supramaximal peripheral nerve stimulation.
    • The collision technique revealed that cortical stimulation induced repetitive volleys in spinal motoneurons, evidenced by EMG activity during the silent period.
    • Post-stimulus time histograms showed single motor units exhibited a primary firing peak followed by additional peaks at high stimulation intensities, suggesting repetitive excitatory inputs.
    • H-reflex threshold remained unchanged by voluntary contraction, indicating the descending volley's integrity.

    Conclusions:

    • A single cortical stimulus can induce repetitive firing in a subset of FDI motoneurons, likely due to repetitive excitatory inputs.
    • This repetitive motoneuron activity contributes significantly to the evoked muscle force.
    • The findings provide insights into the mechanisms of motor control originating from the cortex and their impact on spinal circuitry.