Über die Willkürkontraktion des Parkinsonisten

Summary

In Parkinsonian patients the interneurones mediating the inhibitory reflexes from the Golgi-tendon-organs are very sensitive. We call them the δ-System because their excitation spread over a large district of the spinal cord so that the inhibitory impulses from one muscle are capable to influence a large system of other synergists.

In this way the voluntary activity by a given tension is more inhibited as in normal persons. Each augmentation of a voluntary evoked tension will be strongly inhibited by itself over the sensitive δ-system. Therefore only a strong and long lasting voluntary action can reach the tension which is necessary to move an extremity.

The latency from the first action potential to the begin of mechanical excursion run up to 150 ms (in normal persons 10–20 ms). The voluntary burst of innervation is often inhibited before the mechanical excursion will occur. In these cases by the following postinhibitory synchronisation a tension is developed sufficient to initiate the mechanical movement.