Segmental reflex, muscle mechanical and central mechanisms underlying human physiological tremor

  • J. H. J. Allum
Chapter

Abstract

Each discharge of an α-motoneurone produces a twitch of muscle force in the muscle fibres which comprise its motor unit. When a constant number of motoneurones activating a single muscle discharge asynchronously, one might expect the individual twitches to fuse together into a smooth contraction. However, smooth contractions are not observed in force records. Instead, small ~ 10 Hz oscillations, termed physiological tremor, are superimposed on the fused force. This tremor could be caused either by one or more neural commands which tend to synchronise motoneuronal activity and thereby produce massed twitch contractions, or because the intrinsic spring-mass system of the muscle and limb combined with that of the external load resonates as an oscillator following a muscle twitch. Alternatively, both neural and muscle mechanical mechanisms may interact to generate tremor.

Keywords

Motor Unit Single Motor Unit First Dorsal Interosseus Physiological Tremor Golgi Tendon Organ 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Allum, J. H. J., Dietz, V. and Freund, H.-J. (1978). Neuronal mechanisms underlying physiological tremor. J. Neurophysiol., 41, 557–71.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. Allum, J. H. J., Hepp-Reymond, M. C. and Gysin, R. (1982a). Cross-correlation analysis of interneuronal connectivity in the motor cortex of the monkey. Brain Res., 231, 325–34.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. Allum, J. H. J. and Hulliger, M. (1982). Presumed reflex responses of human first dorsal interosseus muscle to naturally occurring twitch contractions of physiological tremor. Neurosci. Lett., 28, 309–14.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. Allum, J. H. J., Mauritz, K.-H. and Vögele, H. (1982b). Stiffness regulation provided by short-latency reflexes in human triceps surae muscles. Brain Res., 234, 159–64.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. Allum, J. H. J., Mauritz, K.-H. and Vögele, H. (1982c). The mechanical effectiveness of short latency reflexes in human triceps surae muscles revealed by ischemia and vibration. Exp. Brain Res., 48, 153–6.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  6. Asanuma, H., Zarzecki, P., Jankowska, E., Hongo, T. and Marcus, S. (1979). Projection of individual pyramidal tract neurons to lumbar motor nuclei of the monkey. Exp. Brain Res., 34, 73–89.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. Bawa, P. and Stein, R. B. (1976). Frequency response of human soleus muscle. J. Neurophysiol., 39, 788–93.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Bendat, J. S. and Piersol, A. G. (1971). Random Data: Analysis and Measurement Procedures, Wiley-Interscience, New York.Google Scholar
  9. Binder, M. D., Kroin, J. S., Moore, G. P., Stauffer, E. K. and Stuart, D. G. (1976). Correlation analysis of muscle spindle responses to single motor unit contractions. J. Physiol., 257, 325–36.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. Binder, M. D., Kroin, J. S., Moore, G. P. and Stuart, D. G. (1977). The response of Golgi tendon organs to single motor unit contractions. J. Physiol., 271, 337–49.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  11. Brown, M. C., Engberg, I. and Matthews, P. B. C. (1967). The relative sensitivity to vibration of muscle receptors of the cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 192, 773–800.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Burg, D., Szumski, A. J., Struppler, A. and Velho, F. (1973). Afferent and efferent activation of human muscle receptors involved in reflex and voluntary contraction. Exp. Neurol., 41, 754–68.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. Burke, D., Hagbarth, K.-E., Lofstedt, L. and Wallin, B. G. (1976). The response of human muscle spindle endings to vibration during isometric contraction. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 261, 695–711.PubMedCentralCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Christakos, C. N. and Lal, S. (1980). Lumped and population stochastic models of skeletal muscle: implications and predictions. Biol. Cybern., 36, 73–85.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  15. Clark, F. J., Matthews, P. B. C. and Muir, R. B. (1981). Motor unit firing and its relation to tremor in the tonic vibration reflex of the decerebrate cat. J. Physiol., 313, 317–34.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  16. Clark, R. W., Luschei, E. S. and Hoffman, D. S. (1978). Recruitment order, contractile characteristics and firing patterns of motor units in the temporalis muscle of monkeys. Exp. Neurol., 61, 31–52.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  17. Cussons, P. D., Matthews, P. B. C. and Muir, R. B. (1980). Enhancement by agonist or antagonist muscle vibration of tremor at the elastically loaded human elbow. J. Physiol., 302, 443–61.PubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  18. Dietz, V., Bischofberger, E., Wita, C. and Freund, H.-J. (1976a). Correlation between the discharges of two simultaneously recorded motor units and physiological tremor. EEG Clin. Neurophysiol., 40, 97–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Dietz, V., Freund, H: J. and Allum, J. H. J. (1976b). Parkinsonian tremor during rest and voluntary contraction and its correlation with single motor unit activity. In Birkmayer, W. and Hornykiewicz, O. (eds). Advances in Parkinsonism, Roche, Basel, pp. 244–50.Google Scholar
  20. Dietz, V., Hillesheimer, W. and Freund, H.-J. (1974). Correlation between tremor, voluntary contraction and firing pattern of motor units in Parkinson’s disease. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr., 37, 927–37.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  21. Eccles, J. C., Fatt, P. and Koketsu, K. (1954). Cholinergic and inhibitory synapses in pathway from motor axon collaterals to motoneurones. J. Physiol., 126, 524–62.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  22. Elble, R. J. and Randall, J. E. (1976). Motor-unit activity responsible for 8-to 12-Hz component of human physiological finger tremor. J. Neurophysiol., 39, 370–83.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  23. Fetz, E. E., Cheney, P. D. and German, D. C. (1976). Cortico-motoneuronal connections of precentral cells detected by post-spike averages of EMG activity in behaving monkeys. Brain Res., 114, 505–10.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  24. Freund, H.-J., Budingen, H. J. and Dietz, V. (1975). Activity of single motor units from human forearm muscles during voluntary isometric contractions. J. Neurophysiol., 38, 933–46.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  25. Goodwin, G. M., Hoffman, D. and Luschei, E. S. (1978). The strength of the reflex response to sinusoidal stretch of monkey jaw closing muscles during voluntary contraction. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 279, 81–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Gottlieb, G. L. and Agarwal, G. C. (1970). Filtering of electromyographic signals. Am. J. Phys. Med., 49, 142–6.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  27. Granit, R., Pascoe, J. E. and Steg, G. (1957). The behaviour of tonic α- and γ-motoneurones during stimulation of recurrent collaterals. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 138, 381–400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Hagbarth, K. E. and Young, R. R. (1979). Participation of the stretch reflex in human physiological tremor. Brain, 102, 509–26.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  29. Hendrie, A. and Lee, R. G. (1978). Selective effects of vibration on human spinal and long-loop reflexes. Brain Res., 157, 369–75.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  30. Jaeger, R. J., Gottlieb, G. L., Agarwal, G. C. and Tahmoush, A. J. (1982). Afferent contributions to stretch-evoked myoelectric responses. J. Neurophysiol., 48, 403–18.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  31. Jansen, J. K. S. and Rudjord, T. (1964). On the silent period and Golgi tendon organs of the soleus muscle of the cat. Acta Physiol. Scand., 62, 364–79.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  32. Joyce, G. C. and Rack, P, M. H. (1974). The effects of load and force on tremor at the normal human elbow joint. J. Physiol., 240, 375–96.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  33. Joyce, G. C., Rack, P. M. H. and Ross, H. F. (1974). The forces generated at the human elbow joint in response to imposed sinusoidal movements of the forearm. J. Physiol., 240, 351–74.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  34. Joyce, G. C., Rack, P. M. H. and Westbury, D. R. (1969). The mechanical properties of cat soleus muscle during controlled lengthening and shortening movements. J. Physiol., 204, 461–74.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  35. Kranz, H. and Baumgartner, G. (1974). Human alpha motoneurone discharge, a statistical analysis. Brain Res., 67, 324–9.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  36. Matthews, P. B. C. (1972). Mammalian Muscle Receptors and Their Central Actions, Edward Arnold, London.Google Scholar
  37. Matthews, P. B. C. and Muir, R. B. (1980) Comparison of electromyogram spectra with force spectra during human elbow tremor. J. Physiol., 302, 427–41.PubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  38. Matthews, P. B. C. and Stein, R. B. (1969). The sensitivity of muscle spindle afferents to small sinusoidal changes of length. J. Physiol., 200, 723–43.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  39. Matthews, P. B. C. and Watson, J. D. G. (1981a). Action of vibration on the response of cat muscle spindle Ia afferents to low frequency sinusoidal stretching. J. PhysioL, 317, 365–81.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  40. Matthews, P. B. C. and Watson, J. D. G. (1981b). Effect of vibrating agonist or antagonist muscle on the reflex response of sinusoidal displacement of the human forearm. J. Physiol., 321, 297–316.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  41. Milner-Brown, H. S., Stein, R. B. and Lee, R. G. (1975). Synchronization of human motor units: possible roles of exercise and supraspinal reflexes. EEG Clin. Neurophysiol., 38, 245–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Milner-Brown, H. S., Stein, R. B. and Yemm, R. (1973a). The contractile properties of human motor units during voluntary isometric contractions. J. Physiol., 228. 285–306.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  43. Milner-Brown, H. S., Stein, R. B. and Yemm, R. (1973b). The orderly recruitment of human motor units during voluntary isometric contractions. J. Physiol., 230, 359–70.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  44. Milner-Brown, H. S., Stein, R. B. and Yemm, R. (1973c). Changes in firing rate of human motor units during linearly changing voluntary contractions. J. Physiol., 230, 371–90.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  45. Monster, A. W. and Chan, H. (1977). Isometric force production by motor units of extensor digitorum communis muscle in man. J. Neurophysiol., 40, 1432–43.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  46. Moore, G. P., Segundo, J. P., Perkel, D. H. and Levitan, H. (1970). Statistical signs of synaptic interaction in neurons. Biophys. J., 10, 876–900.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  47. Poppele, R. E. and Bowman, R. J. (1970). Quantitative description of linear behaviour of mammalian muscle spindles. J. Neurophysiol., 33, 59–72.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  48. Poppele, R. E. and Kennedy, W. R. (1974). Comparison between behavior of human and cat muscle spindles recorded in vitro. Brain Res., 75, 316–19.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  49. Prochazka, A. and Hulliger, M. (1983). Muscle afferent function during voluntary movements in cat, monkey and man. In Desmedt, J. E. (ed.), Motor Control in Health and Disease, Raven Press, New York, in pressGoogle Scholar
  50. Rack, P. M. H. (1978). Mechanical and reflex factors in human tremor. In Desmedt, J. E. (ed.), Physiological Tremor, Pathological Tremors and Clonus, Progress in Clinical Neurophysiology, vol. 5, Karger, Basel, pp. 17–27.Google Scholar
  51. Roll, J. P. and Vedel, J. P. (1982). Kinaesthetic role of muscle afferents in man, studied by tendon vibration and microneurography. Exp. Brain Res., 47, 177–90.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  52. Stein, R. B. and Bawa, P. (1976). Reflex responses of human soleus muscle to small perturbations. J. Neurophysiol., 39, 1105–16.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  53. Stein, R. B., French, A. S., Mannard, A. and Yemm, R. (1972). New methods for analysing motor function in man and animals. Brain Res., 40, 187–92.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  54. Stein, R. B. and Oğuztöreli, M. N. (1976). Tremor and other oscillations in neuromuscular systems. Biol. Cybern., 22, 147–57.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  55. Stephens, J. A. and Usherwood, T. P. (1977). The mechanical properties of human motor units with special reference to their fatiguability and recruitment threshold. Brain Res., 125, 91–7.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  56. Stiles, R. R. (1980). Mechanical and neural feedback factors in postural hand tremor of normal subjects. J. Neurophysiol., 44, 40–59.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  57. Taylor, A. (1962). The significance of grouping of motor unit activity. J. Physiol., 162, 259–69.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  58. Young, R. R. and Hagbarth, K. E. (1980). Physiological tremor enhanced by manoeuvres affecting the segmental stretch reflex. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr., 43, 248–56.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© J. H. J. Allum 1984

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. H. J. Allum

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations