Hand dominance and motor unit firing behavior. 1998

A Adam, and C J De Luca, and Z Erim
NeuroMuscular Research Center, Boston University, Massachusetts 02215, USA.

Daily preferential use was shown to alter physiological and mechanical properties of skeletal muscle. This study was aimed at revealing differences in the control strategy of muscle pairs in humans who show a clear preference for one hand. We compared the motor unit (MU) recruitment and firing behavior in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle of both hands in eight male volunteers whose hand preference was evaluated with the use of a standard questionnaire. Myoelectric signals were recorded while subjects isometrically abducted the index finger at 30% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force. A myoelectric signal decomposition technique was used to accurately identify MU firing times from the myoelectric signal. In MUs of the dominant hand, mean values for recruitment threshold, initial firing rate, average firing rate at target force, and discharge variability were lower when compared with the nondominant hand. Analysis of the cross-correlation between mean firing rate and muscle force revealed cross-correlation peaks of longer latency in the dominant hand than in the nondominant side. This lag of the force output with respect to fluctuations in the firing behavior of MUs is indicative of a greater mechanical delay in the dominant FDI muscle. MVC force was not significantly different across muscle pairs, but the variability of force at the submaximal target level was higher in the nondominant side. The presence of lower average firing rates, lower recruitment thresholds, and greater firing rate/force delay in the dominant hand is consistent with the notion of an increased percentage of slow twitch fibers in the preferentially used muscle, allowing twitch fusion and force buildup to occur at lower firing rates. It is suggested that a lifetime of preferred use may cause adaptations in the fiber composition of the dominant muscle such that the mechanical effectiveness of its MUs increased.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007537 Isometric Contraction Muscular contractions characterized by increase in tension without change in length. Contraction, Isometric,Contractions, Isometric,Isometric Contractions
D007839 Functional Laterality Behavioral manifestations of cerebral dominance in which there is preferential use and superior functioning of either the left or the right side, as in the preferred use of the right hand or right foot. Ambidexterity,Behavioral Laterality,Handedness,Laterality of Motor Control,Mirror Writing,Laterality, Behavioral,Laterality, Functional,Mirror Writings,Motor Control Laterality,Writing, Mirror,Writings, Mirror
D008297 Male Males
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
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
D005385 Fingers Four or five slender jointed digits in humans and primates, attached to each HAND. Finger
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
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
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
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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