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Somatic Spinal Reflexes

Somatic Spinal Reflexes

Somatic spinal reflexes are rapid, involuntary muscular responses to external stimuli that involve the somatic musculature and the spinal cord.
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...

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Methods to Quantify Pharmacologically Induced Alterations in Motor Function in Human Incomplete SCI

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Summary

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can alter reflex excitability in stroke survivors with stiff-knee gait. Plantarflexor FES increased quadriceps reflexes at rest, while knee flexor FES had a slight inhibitory effect, with varied responses during walking.

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Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

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Published on: January 15, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Rehabilitation Engineering
Biomechanics

Background:

Stiff-knee gait (SKG) is a common post-stroke mobility impairment characterized by reduced knee flexion during the swing phase.
This impairment increases fall risk and necessitates compensatory movements, leading to adverse biomechanical effects.
Assistive technologies like functional electrical stimulation (FES) and exoskeletons aim to mitigate muscle weakness in SKG, but may inadvertently affect spinal reflex excitability.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of two FES modalities (plantarflexor and knee flexor assistance) on rectus femoris (RF) reflex excitability in individuals with post-stroke SKG.
To determine if FES effects on reflex excitability differ between rest and during gait.

Main Methods:

Six individuals with post-stroke SKG participated in the study.
The study assessed RF reflex excitability at rest and during gait under two FES conditions: plantarflexor assistance and knee flexor assistance.

Main Results:

At rest, plantarflexor FES facilitated RF reflex excitability, whereas knee flexor FES induced a slight inhibition.
During gait, FES-induced changes in reflex excitability were observed in some individuals but were less consistent than at rest.

Conclusions:

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can modulate reflex excitability in individuals with stiff-knee gait.
The effect of FES on reflex excitability is context-dependent, varying between rest and gait, and between different FES modalities.