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Modulation of exercise-induced spinal loop properties in response to oxygen availability

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Abstract

This study investigated the effects of acute hypoxia on spinal reflexes and soleus muscle function after a sustained contraction of the plantar flexors at 40 % of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC). Fifteen males (age 25.3 ± 0.9 year) performed the fatigue task at two different inspired O2 fractions (FiO2 = 0.21/0.11) in a randomized and single-blind fashion. Before, at task failure and after 6, 12 and 18 min of passive recovery, the Hoffman-reflex (H max) and M-wave (M max) were recorded at rest and voluntary activation (VA), surface electromyogram (RMSmax), M-wave (M sup) and V-wave (V sup) were recorded during MVC. Normalized H-reflex (H max/M max) was significantly depressed pre-exercise in hypoxia compared with normoxia (0.31 ± 0.08 and 0.36 ± 0.08, respectively, P < 0.05). Hypoxia did not affect time to task failure (mean time of 453.9 ± 32.0 s) and MVC decrease at task failure (−18 % in normoxia vs. −16 % in hypoxia). At task failure, VA (−8 %), RMSmax/M sup (−11 %), H max/M max (−27 %) and V sup/M sup (−37 %) decreased (P < 0.05), but with no FiO2 effect. H max/M max restored significantly throughout recovery in hypoxia but not in normoxia, while V sup/M sup restored significantly during recovery in normoxia but not in hypoxia (P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings indicate that central adaptations resulting from sustained submaximal fatiguing contraction were not different in hypoxia and normoxia at task failure. However, the FiO2-induced differences in spinal loop properties pre-exercise and throughout recovery suggest possible specific mediation by the hypoxic-sensitive group III and IV muscle afferents, supraspinal regulation mechanisms being mainly involved in hypoxia while spinal ones may be predominant in normoxia.

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Abbreviations

CNS:

Central nervous system

DB100:

Resting doublet twitch torque at 100 Hz

EMG:

Electromyography

FiO2 :

Inspired oxygen fraction

H max :

Hoffman reflex maximal peak-to-peak amplitude

M max :

Resting M-wave maximal peak-to-peak amplitude

M sup :

Superimposed M-wave maximal peak-to-peak amplitude

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

R6:

Neuromuscular function testing after 6 min of passive recovery

R12:

Neuromuscular function testing after 12 min of passive recovery

R18:

Neuromuscular function testing after 18 min of passive recovery

RMS:

Root mean square

SOL:

Soleus muscle

SpO2 :

Pulse arterial oxygen saturation

TF:

Task failure

VA:

Voluntary activation

V sup :

Superimposed volitional-wave maximal peak-to-peak amplitude

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Physiologie de l’Exercice, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Campus Scientifique Technolac, 73376, Chambéry, Le Bourget Du Lac Cedex, France

    Thomas Rupp

  2. Aspetar, Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre, Doha, Qatar

    Sébastien Racinais

  3. Fundamental Neuroscience Department, University Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland

    Aurélien Bringard

  4. Laboratoire de Physiologie de l’Exercice, Université de Lyon, 42023, Saint Etienne, France

    Thomas Lapole

  5. Movement To Health (M2H), Euromov, Montpellier-1 University, Montpellier, France

    Stéphane Perrey

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  1. Thomas Rupp
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  2. Sébastien Racinais
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  3. Aurélien Bringard
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  4. Thomas Lapole
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  5. Stéphane Perrey
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Correspondence to Thomas Rupp.

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Communicated by Nicolas Place.

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Rupp, T., Racinais, S., Bringard, A. et al. Modulation of exercise-induced spinal loop properties in response to oxygen availability. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 471–482 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-3032-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-3032-5

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