Abstract
Purpose
Currently, cortical voluntary activation (VATMS) is assessed by superimposing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), 75% MVC and 50% MVC, each contraction being interspersed with 5–10 s of relaxation. Here, we assessed whether this traditional approach (TRADI) underestimates central fatigue due to this short recovery compared to a continuous method (CONTI).
Methods
VATMS, motor-evoked potential (MEP), and cortical silent period (CSP) of the vastus lateralis were determined in 12 young healthy adults before and after a 2-min sustained MVC of knee extensors in two randomly assigned sessions. In TRADI, evaluations comprised a 7-s rest between the three contractions (100, 75, and 50% MVC) and evaluation following the 2-min sustained MVC started after a minimal rest (3–4 s). In CONTI, evaluations were performed with no rest allowed between the three levels of contraction, and evaluation after the 2-min sustained MVC commenced without any rest.
Results
MVC was equally depressed at the end of the 2 min in both conditions. Post 2-min sustained MVC, VATMS change was greater in CONTI than in TRADI (−29 (15)% [−42, −17] vs. −9 (4)% [−13, −5], respectively, P < 0.001). Differences were also observed between TRADI and CONTI for MEP and CSP immediately after the fatiguing exercise. All differences between the two methods disappeared after 2 min of recovery.
Conclusion
After a 2-min sustained MVC, a few seconds of recovery change the amount of measured VATMS and associated parameters of central fatigue. The continuous method should be preferred to determine deficits in voluntary activation.
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Abbreviations
- BF:
-
Biceps femoris
- CI:
-
Confidence interval
- CONTI:
-
Continuous method
- CSP50–CSP75–CSP100 :
-
Cortical silent period at 50–75–100% MVC
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- ERT:
-
Estimated resting twitch
- FNES:
-
Femoral nerve electrical stimulation
- MEP50–MEP75–MEP100 :
-
Motor-evoked potential at 50–75–100% MVC
- M-wave:
-
Muscle compound action potential on the relaxed muscle
- Msup:
-
Muscle compound action potential measured during voluntary contraction (50% MVC)
- MVC:
-
Maximal voluntary contraction
- NMF:
-
Neuromuscular function
- POST:
-
At the end of the 2-min sustained MVC
- PRE:
-
Before the 2-min sustained MVC
- Pt:
-
Peak twitch
- R2–R4–R6:
-
2–4–6 min after the end of the 2-min sustained MVC
- RF:
-
Rectus femoris
- RMS:
-
Root-mean square
- SIT:
-
Superimposed twitch
- VA:
-
Voluntary activation
- VATMS :
-
Cortical voluntary activation
- VL:
-
Vastus lateralis
- TMS:
-
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
- TRADI:
-
Traditional method
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Dr. John Temesi for his valuable comments and revision of the manuscript, and Douglas Doyle-Baker for the English revision.
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This work was supported by a doctoral research grant from the University Savoie Mont Blanc.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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All procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Communicated by Nicolas Place.
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Mira, J., Lapole, T., Souron, R. et al. Cortical voluntary activation testing methodology impacts central fatigue. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 1845–1857 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3678-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3678-x