Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modulation of soleus H-reflexes during gait in healthy children

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During locomotion spinal short latency reflexes are rhythmically modulated and depressed compared to rest. In adults this modulation is severely disturbed after bilateral spinal lesions indicating a role for supra-spinal control. Soleus reflex amplitudes are large in the stance phase and suppressed in the swing phase contributing to the reciprocal muscle activation pattern required for walking. In early childhood the EMG pattern during gait underlies an age-dependent process changing from co-contraction of agonists and antagonists to a reciprocal pattern at the age of 5–7 years. It is unknown whether at this stage apart from the EMG also reflexes are modulated, and if so, whether the reflex modulation is fully mature or still underlies an age-dependent development. This may give important information about the maturation of CNS structures involved in gait control. Soleus Hoffmann H-reflexes were investigated in 36 healthy children aged 7–16 years during treadmill walking at 1.2 km/h and 3.0 km/h. At 7 years old a rhythmic modulation similar to adults was observed. The H-reflex size during the stance phase decreased significantly with age while the maximum H-reflex (H max) at rest remained unchanged. At 3.0 km/h H-reflexes were significantly larger during the stance phase and smaller during the swing phase as compared to 1.2 km/h but the age-dependent suppression was observed at both walking velocities. In conclusion H-reflex modulation during gait is already present in young children but still underlies an age-dependent process independent of the walking velocity. The finding that the rhythmic part of the modulation is already present at the age of 7 years may indicate that the supra-spinal structures involved mature earlier than those involved in the tonic reflex depression. This may reflect an increasing supra-spinal control of spinal reflexes under functional conditions with maturation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beres-Jones JA, Harkema SJ (2004) The human spinal cord interprets velocity-dependent afferent input during stepping. Brain 127:2232–2246

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berger W, Altenmüller E, Dietz V (1984) Normal and impaired development of children’s gait. Hum Neurobiol 3:163–170

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berger W, Quintern J, Dietz V (1985) Stance and gait perturbations in children: developmental aspects of compensatory mechanisms. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 61:385–395

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berger W, Quintern J, Dietz V (1987) Afferent and efferent control of stance and gait: developmental changes in children. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 66:244–252

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berger W, Horstmann GA, Dietz V (1990) Interlimb coordination of stance in children: divergent modulation of spinal reflex responses and cerebral evoked potentials in terms of age. Neurosci Lett 116:118–122

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brooke JD, Collins DF, Boucher S, McIlroy WE (1991) Modulation of human short latency reflexes between standing and walking. Brain Res 548:172–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brooke JD, McIlroy WE, Collins DF (1992) Movement features and H-reflex modulation. I. Pedalling versus matched controls. Brain Res 582:78–84

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Capaday C, Stein RB (1986) Amplitude of the soleus H-reflex in the human during walking and standing. J Neurosci 6:1308–1313

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Capaday C, Stein RB (1987) Differences in the amplitude of the human soleus H reflex during walking and running. J Physiol (Lond) 392:513–522

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chalmers GR, Knutzen KM (2000) Soleus Hoffmann-reflex modulation during walking in healthy elderly and young adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 55:B570–579

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crone C, Hultborn H, Mazieres L, Morin C, Nielsen J, Pierrot-Deseilligny E. (1990) Sensitivity of monosynaptic test reflexes to facilitation and inhibition as a function of the test reflex size: a study in man and the cat. Exp Brain Res 81:35–45

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz V, Quintern J, Berger W (1985) Afferent control of human stance and gait: evidence for blocking of group I afferents during gait. Exp Brain Res 61:153–163

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz V, Faist M, Pierrot-Deseilligny E (1990a) Amplitude modulation of the quadriceps H-reflex in the human during the early stance phase of gait. Exp Brain Res 79:221–224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz V, Discher M, Faist M, Trippel M (1990b) Amplitude modulation of the human quadriceps tendon jerk reflex during gait. Exp Brain Res 82:211–213

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edamura M, Yang JF, Stein RB (1991) Factors that determine the magnitude and time course of human H-reflexes in locomotion. J Neurosci 11:420–427

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faist M, Dietz V, Pierrot-Deseilligny E (1996) Modulation, probably presynaptic in origin, of monosynaptic Ia excitation during human gait. Exp Brain Res 109:441–449

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faist M, Blahak C, Duysens J, Berger W (1999a) Modulation of the biceps femoris tendon jerk reflex during human locomotion. Exp Brain Res 125:265–270

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faist M, Ertel M, Berger W, Dietz V (1999b) Impaired modulation of the quadriceps tendon jerk reflex during spastic gait: differences between spinal and cerebral lesions. Brain 122:567–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forssberg H, Wallberg H (1980) Infant locomotion: a preliminary movement and electromyographic study. In: Berg K, Eriksson BO (eds) Children and exercise. IX International Series on Sport Science, vol 10, University Park Press, Baltimore, pp 32–40

  • Katz R, Meunier S, Pierrot-Deseilligny E (1988) Changes in presynaptic inhibition of Ia fibres in man while standing. Brain 111:417–437

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koceja DM, Markus CA, Trimble MH (1995) Postural modulation of the soleus H reflex in young and old subjects. Electroenceph Clin Neurophysiol 97:387–393

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lavoie BA, Devanne H, Capaday C (1997) Differential control of reciprocal inhibition during walking versus postural and voluntary motor tasks in humans. J Neurophysiol 78:429–438

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Llewelyn M, Prochazka A, Vincent S (1987) Transmission of human tendon jerk reflexes during stance and gait. J Physiol 382:82

    Google Scholar 

  • Morin C, Katz R, Mazieres L, Pierrot-Deseilligny E (1982) Comparison of soleus H reflex facilitation at the onset of soleus contraction produced voluntarily and during the stance phase of human gait. Neurosci Lett 33:47–53

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morita H, Shindo M, Yanagawa S, Yoshida T, Momoi H, Yanagisawa N (1995) Progressive decrease in heteronymous monosynaptic Ia facilitation with human ageing. Exp Brain Res 104:167–170

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morita H, Petersen N, Christensen LOD, Sinkjaer T, Nielsen J (1998) Sensitivity of H-reflexes and stretch reflexes to presynaptic inhibition in humans. J Neurophysiol 80:610–620

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mrachacz-Kersting N, Lavoie BA, Andersen JB, Sinkjaer T (2004) Characterisation of the quadriceps stretch reflex during the transition from swing to stance phase of human walking. Exp Brain Res 159:108–122

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller K, Hoemberg V, Lenard HG (1991) Magnetic stimulation of motor cortex and nerve roots in children. Maturation of cortico-motoneuronal projections. Electroenceph Clin Neurophysiol 81:63–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paus T, Zijdenbos A, Woresly K, Collins DL, Blumenthal J, Giedd JN, Rapoport JL, Evans AC (1999) Structural maturation of neural pathways in children and adolescents: in vivo study. Science 238:1908–1911

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen N, Morita H, Nielsen J (1999) Modulation of reciprocal inhibition between ankle extensors and flexors during walking in man. J Physiol (Lond) 520:605–619

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simonsen EB, Dyhre-Poulsen P (1999) Amplitude of the human soleus H reflex during walking and running. J Physiol (Lond) 515:929–939

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinkjaer T, Andersen JB, Larsen B (1996) Soleus stretch reflex modulation during gait in humans. J Neurophysiol 76:1112–1120

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinkjaer T (1997) Muscle, reflex and central components in the control of the ankle joint in healthy and spastic man. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl 170:1–28

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang JF, Stein RB, James KB (1991) Contribution of peripheral afferents to the activation of the soleus muscle during walking in humans. Exp Brain Res 87:679–687

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang JF, Whelan PJ (1993) Neural mechanisms that contribute to cyclical modulation of the soleus H-reflex in walking in humans. Exp Brain Res 95:547–556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their gratitude to all children for participating in this study. This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Be 936/4-1.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital Freiburg, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

    M. Hodapp, C. Klisch, W. Berger & M. Faist

  2. Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscular Disorders, Children’s University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Mathildenstraße 1, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

    V. Mall

Authors
  1. M. Hodapp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Klisch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. Berger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. Mall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. Faist
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Faist.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hodapp, M., Klisch, C., Berger, W. et al. Modulation of soleus H-reflexes during gait in healthy children. Exp Brain Res 178, 252–260 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0730-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0730-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation