Biomaterial Database

Projection to the cerebral cortex from proximal and distal muscles in the human upper limb. 1988

S C Gandevia, and D Burke

Department of Neurology, Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Motor-point stimulation using insulated microelectrodes has been used to assess the cerebral projection from a number of single muscles in the human upper limb. Previous studies with intrafascicular neural stimulation have revealed a short-latency cortical projection from group I muscle afferents of intrinsic muscles of the hand but this technique is unsuitable to study the projection of afferents from proximal muscles. In 6 subjects, stimuli were delivered to the motor point of the following muscles: anterior deltoid, biceps brachii (short head), flexor carpi radialis, extensor digitorum communis, abductor pollicis brevis and first dorsal interosseous. The mean latency of the early cortical negativity was 15.0 ms for deltoid, 16.4 ms for biceps, 18.8 ms for flexor carpi radialis, 18.8 ms for extensor digitorum communis, 21.9 ms for abductor pollicis brevis and 25.0 ms for first dorsal interosseous. The amplitude of cerebral potentials from individual muscles was smaller than that produced by stimulation of the digital nerves of the index or little finger and did not vary systematically between proximal and distal muscles. This study provides direct evidence for a short-latency cortical projection from proximal muscles of the upper limb. The results are consistent with psychophysical studies which have proposed a role for intramuscular receptors in kinaesthesia at both proximal and distal joints.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007206	Individuality	Those psychological characteristics which differentiate individuals from one another.	Individual Differences,Difference, Individual,Differences, Individual,Individual Difference
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009412	Nerve Fibers	Slender processes of NEURONS, including the AXONS and their glial envelopes (MYELIN SHEATH). Nerve fibers conduct nerve impulses to and from the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Cerebellar Mossy Fibers,Mossy Fibers, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Mossy Fiber,Mossy Fiber, Cerebellar,Nerve Fiber
D009424	Nervous System Physiological Phenomena	Characteristic properties and processes of the NERVOUS SYSTEM as a whole or with reference to the peripheral or the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nervous System Physiologic Processes,Nervous System Physiological Processes,Nervous System Physiology,Nervous System Physiological Concepts,Nervous System Physiological Phenomenon,Nervous System Physiological Process,Physiology, Nervous System,System Physiology, Nervous
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
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
D001931	Brain Mapping	Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures.	Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D002540	Cerebral Cortex	The thin layer of GRAY MATTER on the surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES that develops from the TELENCEPHALON and folds into gyri and sulci. It reaches its highest development in humans and is responsible for intellectual faculties and higher mental functions.	Allocortex,Archipallium,Cortex Cerebri,Cortical Plate,Paleocortex,Periallocortex,Allocortices,Archipalliums,Cerebral Cortices,Cortex Cerebrus,Cortex, Cerebral,Cortical Plates,Paleocortices,Periallocortices,Plate, Cortical
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
D004594	Electrophysiology	The study of the generation and behavior of electrical charges in living organisms particularly the nervous system and the effects of electricity on living organisms.