Gradual enlargement of human withdrawal reflex receptive fields following repetitive painful stimulation. 2005

Ole K Andersen, and Erika G Spaich, and Pascal Madeleine, and Lars Arendt-Nielsen
Department of Health Science and Technology, Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7, D3, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark. oka@hst.aau.dk

Dynamic changes in the topography of the human withdrawal reflex receptive fields (RRF) were assessed by repetitive painful stimuli in 15 healthy subjects. A train of five electrical stimuli was delivered at a frequency of 3 Hz (total train duration 1.33 s). The train was delivered in random order to 10 electrode sites on the sole of the foot. Reflexes were recorded from tibialis anterior, soleus, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and iliopsoas (IL). The RRF changes during the stimulus train were assessed during standing with even support on both legs and while seated. The degree of temporal summation was depending on stimulation site. At the most sensitive part of the RRF, a statistically significant increase in reflex size was seen after two stimuli while four stimuli were needed to observe reflex facilitation at less sensitive electrode sites. Hence, the region from which reflexes could be evoked using the same stimulus intensity became larger through the train, that is, the RRF was gradually expanding. Reflexes evoked by stimuli four and five were of the same size. No reflex facilitation was seen at other stimulus sites outside the RRF. In all muscles except in IL, the largest reflexes were evoked when the subjects were standing. In the ankle joint, the main withdrawal pattern consisted of plantar flexion and inversion when the subjects were standing while dorsi-flexion was prevalent in the sitting position. Up to 35 degrees of knee and hip flexion were evoked often leading to a lift of the foot from the floor during standing. In conclusion, a gradual expansion of the RRF was seen in all muscles during the stimulus train. Furthermore, the motor programme task controls the reflex sensitivity within the reflex receptive field and, hence, the sensitivity of the temporal summation mechanism.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010147 Pain Measurement Scales, questionnaires, tests, and other methods used to assess pain severity and duration in patients or experimental animals to aid in diagnosis, therapy, and physiological studies. Analgesia Tests,Analogue Pain Scale,Formalin Test,McGill Pain Questionnaire,Nociception Tests,Pain Assessment,Pain Intensity,Pain Severity,Tourniquet Pain Test,Visual Analogue Pain Scale,Analog Pain Scale,Assessment, Pain,McGill Pain Scale,Visual Analog Pain Scale,Analgesia Test,Analog Pain Scales,Analogue Pain Scales,Formalin Tests,Intensity, Pain,Measurement, Pain,Nociception Test,Pain Assessments,Pain Intensities,Pain Measurements,Pain Questionnaire, McGill,Pain Scale, Analog,Pain Scale, Analogue,Pain Scale, McGill,Pain Severities,Pain Test, Tourniquet,Questionnaire, McGill Pain,Scale, Analog Pain,Scale, Analogue Pain,Scale, McGill Pain,Severity, Pain,Test, Analgesia,Test, Formalin,Test, Nociception,Test, Tourniquet Pain,Tests, Nociception,Tourniquet Pain Tests
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D012018 Reflex An involuntary movement or exercise of function in a part, excited in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the brain or spinal cord.
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D004576 Electromyography Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes. Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000704 Analysis of Variance A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable. ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor

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