Simulation of post-tetanic potentiation and fatigue in muscle using a visco-elastic model

Post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) in single motor units was simulated using a simple visco-elastic model. Single isometric twitches and unfused tetani were obtained using a wide range of physiological input rates. Values of model parameters were chosen to simulate contraction times close to those of fast and slow muscle fibers. PTP has been attributed either to i) an augmented plateau level of active state or ii) an increase in time constant of active state decay. Our results show that a prolonged decay time of active state can account for most of the experimental data obtained in amphibian and mammalian preparations. In particular, potentiation is more marked in unfused tetani than in single twitches. Moreover the model accounts for PTP even in the case of a reduction of active state plateau due to fatigue.