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Fatigue Brought on by Malfunction of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems

  • Chapter
Fatigue

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 384))

Abstract

Increased fatigability necessarily occurs in every patient with muscle weakness, regardless of whether the latter is due to a central or peripheral neurological disorder. The tendency for disuse to increase fatigability, as a secondary phenomenon, must also be considered; disuse affects both motoneuron recruitment and the biochemical and physiological properties of the muscle fibers. In recent studies impaired recruitment has been observed in postpolio patients, while patients with multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury have shown, in addition, altered neuromuscular function. Findings are also presented in ALS and the chronic fatigue syndrome. In general, the most dramatic increases in fatigability take place in disorders of the peripheral nervous system and almost any cell component can be incriminated. There is a need to study fatigability systematically in neurology and rehabilitation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    A. J. McComas

  2. Department of Neurology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA

    R. G. Miller

  3. Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia

    S. C. Gandevia

Authors
  1. A. J. McComas
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  2. R. G. Miller
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  3. S. C. Gandevia
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Simon C. Gandevia

  2. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Roger M. Enoka

  3. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Alan J. McComas

  4. The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

    Douglas G. Stuart  & Patricia A. Pierce  & 

  5. University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA

    Christine K. Thomas

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© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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McComas, A.J., Miller, R.G., Gandevia, S.C. (1995). Fatigue Brought on by Malfunction of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. In: Gandevia, S.C., Enoka, R.M., McComas, A.J., Stuart, D.G., Thomas, C.K., Pierce, P.A. (eds) Fatigue. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 384. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1016-5_38

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1016-5_38

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1018-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1016-5

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