Stimulated single-fiber electromyography in the rat. 1998

T S Lin, and T J Cheng
Department of Neurology, National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.

We constructed an animal model of stimulated single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG) by testing Wistar rats under anesthesia. Stimuli of 1 Hz were applied to the sciatic nerve through an insulated monopolar needle electrode. Single-fiber action potentials were acquired from the gastrocnemius muscle. Jitter was assessed by the mean consecutive difference (MCD). Eighty-seven fibers were obtained from 12 rats. Their MCDs ranged from 2 to 72 micros (17.7+/-13.4). Seven of these values were less than or equal to 5 micros, and three exceeded 50 micros. Neuromuscular blocking agents injected into some of the rats induced considerable increases in jitter and blocking. A rat with one fiber with an MCD less than 5 micros also received an injection of curare. The jitter showed the same pattern of increment, evidence that the small jitter was not attributable to direct muscle stimulation. These results show that SFEMG can be used on rats. In addition, jitter reflects the changes in motor end-plate function. The findings also suggest the presence of an extremely high safety factor in rat neuromuscular junctions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009466 Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Drugs that interrupt transmission of nerve impulses at the skeletal neuromuscular junction. They can be of two types, competitive, stabilizing blockers (NEUROMUSCULAR NONDEPOLARIZING AGENTS) or noncompetitive, depolarizing agents (NEUROMUSCULAR DEPOLARIZING AGENTS). Both prevent acetylcholine from triggering the muscle contraction and they are used as anesthesia adjuvants, as relaxants during electroshock, in convulsive states, etc. Neuromuscular Blocker,Neuromuscular Blocking Agent,Neuromuscular Blockers,Agent, Neuromuscular Blocking,Agents, Neuromuscular Blocking,Blocker, Neuromuscular,Blockers, Neuromuscular,Blocking Agent, Neuromuscular,Blocking Agents, Neuromuscular
D009469 Neuromuscular Junction The synapse between a neuron and a muscle. Myoneural Junction,Nerve-Muscle Preparation,Junction, Myoneural,Junction, Neuromuscular,Junctions, Myoneural,Junctions, Neuromuscular,Myoneural Junctions,Nerve Muscle Preparation,Nerve-Muscle Preparations,Neuromuscular Junctions,Preparation, Nerve-Muscle,Preparations, Nerve-Muscle
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
D000200 Action Potentials Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli. Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000758 Anesthesia A state characterized by loss of feeling or sensation. This depression of nerve function is usually the result of pharmacologic action and is induced to allow performance of surgery or other painful procedures.
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015203 Reproducibility of Results The statistical reproducibility of measurements (often in a clinical context), including the testing of instrumentation or techniques to obtain reproducible results. The concept includes reproducibility of physiological measurements, which may be used to develop rules to assess probability or prognosis, or response to a stimulus; reproducibility of occurrence of a condition; and reproducibility of experimental results. Reliability and Validity,Reliability of Result,Reproducibility Of Result,Reproducibility of Finding,Validity of Result,Validity of Results,Face Validity,Reliability (Epidemiology),Reliability of Results,Reproducibility of Findings,Test-Retest Reliability,Validity (Epidemiology),Finding Reproducibilities,Finding Reproducibility,Of Result, Reproducibility,Of Results, Reproducibility,Reliabilities, Test-Retest,Reliability, Test-Retest,Result Reliabilities,Result Reliability,Result Validities,Result Validity,Result, Reproducibility Of,Results, Reproducibility Of,Test Retest Reliability,Validity and Reliability,Validity, Face
D017208 Rats, Wistar A strain of albino rat developed at the Wistar Institute that has spread widely at other institutions. This has markedly diluted the original strain. Wistar Rat,Rat, Wistar,Wistar Rats
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus

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