Abstract
Purpose
To examine corticospinal excitability and neuromuscular function following the completion of eccentric (ECC) or concentric (CON) maximal exercises of same mechanical work.
Methods
Ten males (29.9 ± 11.8 years) performed maximal isokinetic knee extensor contractions in four experimental sessions. The two first sessions (one in ECC and one in CON) ended with a dynamic peak torque loss of 20%. The work completed in each contraction type was then achieved in the other contraction type. Neuromuscular function- maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), voluntary activation level (VAL), potentiated doublet (Dt), M-wave- and corticospinal excitability- motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and silent period (SP)—were assessed in the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles at 20% MVIC before and immediately after exercise.
Results
To lose 20% of dynamic peak torque subjects performed 1.8 times more work in ECC than CON (P = 0.03), inducing a non-different decline in MVIC (P = 0.15). VAL dropped after the ECC sessions only (− 8.5 ± 6.7%; all P < 0.027). Only, the CON session featuring the greatest work affected Dt amplitude (− 9.4 ± 23.8%; P = 0.047). In both muscles, MEP amplitude decreased (all P < 0.001) and MEP SP stayed constant (all P > 0.45), irrespective of contraction type (all P > 0.15).
Conclusion
Same-work maximal ECC and CON exercises induced similar fatigue level but from different origins (preferentially central for ECC vs peripheral for CON). Yet, net corticospinal excitability did not depend on contraction type.
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Change history
17 February 2021
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04578-0
Abbreviations
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- CON:
-
Concentric
- CONF:
-
Concentric session aiming for 20% MVIC loss
- CONW:
-
Concentric session aiming for the work completed in ECCF
- Dt:
-
Double twitch
- Dtsup:
-
Superimposed double twitch
- ECC:
-
Eccentric
- ECCF:
-
Eccentric session aiming for 20% MVIC loss
- ECCW:
-
Eccentric session aiming for the work completed in CONF
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- MVIC:
-
Maximal voluntary isometric contraction
- MVICstim:
-
Maximal voluntary isometric contraction when stimulated
- MMAX :
-
Maximal M-wave
- RF:
-
Rectus femoris
- RMS:
-
Root mean square
- SP:
-
Silent period
- TMS:
-
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
- VAL:
-
Voluntary activation level
- VL:
-
Vastus lateralis
- SENIAM:
-
Surface ElectroMyoGraphy for the Non-Invasive Assessment of Muscles
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All authors discussed the protocol design. PC and RL finalized the design. PC implemented the study and drafted the manuscript. YG, AM, and RL critically revised the manuscript. All authors approved the final version for submission.
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Communicated by Toshio Moritani.
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Clos, P., Garnier, Y., Martin, A. et al. Corticospinal excitability is altered similarly following concentric and eccentric maximal contractions. Eur J Appl Physiol 120, 1457–1469 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04377-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04377-7