Altered regulation of Ia afferent input during voluntary contraction in humans with spinal cord injury. 2022

Bing Chen, and Monica A Perez
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Northwestern University, and Edward Hines Jr., VA Medical Center, Chicago, United States.

Sensory input converging on the spinal cord contributes to the control of movement. Although sensory pathways reorganize following spinal cord injury (SCI), the extent to which sensory input from Ia afferents is regulated during voluntary contraction after the injury remains largely unknown. To address this question, the soleus H-reflex and conditioning of the H-reflex by stimulating homonymous [depression of the soleus H-reflex evoked by common peroneal nerve (CPN) stimulation, D1 inhibition] and heteronymous (d), [monosynaptic Ia facilitation of the soleus H-reflex evoked by femoral nerve stimulation (FN facilitation)] nerves were tested at rest, and during tonic voluntary contraction in humans with and without chronic incomplete SCI. The soleus H-reflex size increased in both groups during voluntary contraction compared with rest, but to a lesser extent in SCI participants. Compared with rest, the D1 inhibition decreased during voluntary contraction in controls but it was still present in SCI participants. Further, the FN facilitation increased in controls but remained unchanged in SCI participants during voluntary contraction compared with rest. Changes in the D1 inhibition and FN facilitation were correlated with changes in the H-reflex during voluntary contraction, suggesting an association between outcomes. These findings provide the first demonstration that the regulation of Ia afferent input from homonymous and heteronymous nerves is altered during voluntary contraction in humans with SCI, resulting in lesser facilitatory effect on motor neurons.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009046 Motor Neurons Neurons which activate MUSCLE CELLS. Neurons, Motor,Alpha Motorneurons,Motoneurons,Motor Neurons, Alpha,Neurons, Alpha Motor,Alpha Motor Neuron,Alpha Motor Neurons,Alpha Motorneuron,Motoneuron,Motor Neuron,Motor Neuron, Alpha,Motorneuron, Alpha,Motorneurons, Alpha,Neuron, Alpha Motor,Neuron, Motor
D006181 H-Reflex A monosynaptic reflex elicited by stimulating a nerve, particularly the tibial nerve, with an electric shock. H Reflex,H-Reflexes,H Reflexes,Reflex, H
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013119 Spinal Cord Injuries Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.). Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy
D018482 Muscle, Skeletal A subtype of striated muscle, attached by TENDONS to the SKELETON. Skeletal muscles are innervated and their movement can be consciously controlled. They are also called voluntary muscles. Anterior Tibial Muscle,Gastrocnemius Muscle,Muscle, Voluntary,Plantaris Muscle,Skeletal Muscle,Soleus Muscle,Muscle, Anterior Tibial,Muscle, Gastrocnemius,Muscle, Plantaris,Muscle, Soleus,Muscles, Skeletal,Muscles, Voluntary,Skeletal Muscles,Tibial Muscle, Anterior,Voluntary Muscle,Voluntary Muscles

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