Just noticeable differences for elbow joint torque feedback

Joint torque feedback is a new and promising means of kinesthetic feedback imposed by a wearable device. The torque feedback provides the wearer temporal and spatial information during a motion task. Nevertheless, little research has been conducted on quantifying the psychophysical parameters of how well humans can perceive external torques under various joint conditions. This study aims to investigate the just noticeable difference (JND) perceptual ability of the elbow joint to joint torques. The paper focuses on the ability of two primary joint proprioceptors, the Golgi-tendon organ (GTO) and muscle spindle (MS), to detect elbow torques, since touch and pressure sensors were masked. We studied 14 subjects while the arm was isometrically contracted (static condition) and was moving at a constant speed (dynamic condition). In total there were 10 joint conditions investigated, which varied the direction of the arm's movement and the preload direction as well as torque direction. The JND torques under static conditions ranged from 0.097 Nm with no preload to 0.197 Nm with a preload of 1.28 Nm. The maximum dynamic JND torques were 0.799 Nm and 0.428 Nm, when the arm was flexing and extending at 213 degrees per second, respectively.

Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS) and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Do They Have Anything in Common?

Post orgasmic illness syndrome is a rare, mysterious condition with an unknown pathomechanism and uncertain treatment. The symptoms of post orgasmic illness syndrome last about 2–7 days after an ejaculation. The current hypothesis proposes that the primary injury in post orgasmic illness syndrome is an acute compression proprioceptive axonopathy in the muscle spindle, as is suspected in delayed onset muscle soreness. The terminal arbor degeneration-like lesion of delayed onset muscle soreness is theorized to be an acute stress response energy-depleted dysfunctional mitochondria-induced impairment of Piezo2 channels and glutamate vesicular release. The recurring symptoms of post orgasmic illness syndrome after each ejaculation are suggested to be analogous to the repeated bout effect of delayed onset muscle soreness. However, there are differences in the pathomechanism, mostly attributed to the extent of secondary tissue damage and to the extent of spermidine depletion. The spermidine depletion-induced differences are as follows: modulation of the acute stress response, flu-like symptoms, opioid-like withdrawal and enhanced deregulation of the autonomic nervous system. The longitudinal dimension of delayed onset muscle soreness, in the form of post orgasmic illness syndrome and the repeated bout effect, have cognitive and memory consequences, since the primary injury is learning and memory-related.

Loss of BICD2 in muscle drives motor neuron loss in a developmental form of spinal muscular atrophy

Autosomal dominant missense mutations in BICD2 cause Spinal Muscular Atrophy Lower Extremity Predominant 2 (SMALED2), a developmental disease of motor neurons. BICD2 is a key component of the cytoplasmic dynein/dynactin motor complex, which in axons drives the microtubule-dependent retrograde transport of intracellular cargo towards the cell soma. Patients with pathological mutations in BICD2 develop malformations of cortical and cerebellar development similar to Bicd2 knockout (-/-) mice. In this study we sought to re-examine the motor neuron phenotype of conditional Bicd2-/- mice. Bicd2-/- mice show a significant reduction in the number of large calibre motor neurons of the L4 ventral root compared to wild type mice. Muscle-specific knockout of Bicd2 results in a similar reduction in L4 ventral axons comparable to global Bicd2-/- mice. Rab6, a small GTPase required for the sorting of exocytic vesicles from the Trans Golgi Network to the plasma membrane is a major binding partner of BICD2. We therefore examined the secretory pathway in SMALED2 patient fibroblasts and demonstrated that BICD2 is required for physiological flow of constitutive secretory cargoes from the Trans Golgi Network to the plasma membrane using a VSV-G reporter assay. Together, these data indicate that BICD2 loss from muscles is a major driver of non-cell autonomous pathology in the motor nervous system, which has important implications for future therapeutic approaches in SMALED2.

Elastic tissue forces mask muscle fiber forces underlying muscle spindle Ia afferent firing rates in stretch of relaxed rat muscle

Stretches of relaxed cat and rat muscle elicit similar history-dependent muscle spindle Ia firing rates that resemble history-dependent forces seen in single activated muscle fibers ( Nichols and Cope, 2004). Owing to thixotropy, whole musculotendon forces and muscle spindle firing rates are history dependent during stretch of relaxed cat muscle, where both muscle force and muscle spindle firing rates are elevated in the first stretch in a series of stretch-shorten cycles ( Blum et al., 2017). By contrast, rat musculotendon exhibits only mild thixotropy, such that the measured forces when stretched cannot explain history-dependent muscle spindle firing rates in the same way ( Haftel et al., 2004). We hypothesized that history-dependent muscle spindle firing rates elicited in stretch of relaxed rat muscle mirror history-dependent muscle fiber forces, which are masked at the level of whole musculotendon force by extracellular tissue force. We removed estimated extracellular tissue force contributions from recorded musculotendon force using an exponentially elastic tissue model. We then showed that the remaining estimated muscle fiber force resembles history-dependent muscle spindle firing rates recorded simultaneously. These forces also resemble history-dependent forces recorded in stretch of single activated fibers that are attributed to muscle cross-bridge mechanisms ( Campbell and Moss, 2000). Our results suggest that history-dependent muscle spindle firing in both rats and cats arise from history-dependent forces owing to thixotropy in muscle fibers.

Muscle spindle and fusimotor activity in locomotion

Mammals may exhibit different forms of locomotion even within a species. A particular form of locomotion (e.g. walk, run, bound) appears to be selected by supraspinal commands, but the precise pattern, i.e. phasing of limbs and muscles, is generated within the spinal cord by so-called central pattern generators. Peripheral sense organs, particularly the muscle spindle, play a crucial role in modulating the central pattern generator output. In turn, the feedback from muscle spindles is itself modulated by static and dynamic fusimotor (gamma) neurons. The activity of muscle spindle afferents and fusimotor neurons during locomotion in the cat is reviewed here. There is evidence for some alpha-gamma co-activation during locomotion involving static gamma motoneurons. However, both static and dynamic gamma motoneurons show patterns of modulation that are distinct from alpha motoneuron activity. It has been proposed that static gamma activity may drive muscle spindle secondary endings to signal the intended movement to the central nervous system. Dynamic gamma motoneuron drive appears to prime muscle spindle primary endings to signal transitions in phase of the locomotor cycle. These findings come largely from reduced animal preparations (decerebrate) and require confirmation in freely moving intact animals.

[Changes in muscle spindle afferent discharge activities in rat soleus following hindlimb immobilization]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the changes in the afferent discharge activities of the sensory nerve endings in muscle spindles of rats with hindlimb immobilization.

METHODS

Plaster cast was used immobilize the hindllimbs of rats. Using air-gap technique, the spontaneous discharge of the muscle spindles and its responses to perfusion with succinylcholine (0.05 mg/ml) and suspension in an extended position were observed in isolated muscle spindles from rats with hindlimb immobilization for 3, 7, and 14 days.

RESULTS

The muscle spindles of rat soleus showed a sharp decrease in spontaneous discharge frequency (P<0.01) and response to succinylcholine perfusion after 3 days of hindlimb immobilization (P<0.05). Significant changes of the firing rate in an extended position was observed in rats after a 14-day immobilization (P<0.01). The duration of individual spikes was significantly prolonged following hindlimb immobilization (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Muscle spindle discharges decrease significantly in rats following hindlimb immobilization, which might be related to reduced contractile properties of the muscle spindle.

Spike sorting of muscle spindle afferent nerve activity recorded with thin-film intrafascicular electrodes

Afferent muscle spindle activity in response to passive muscle stretch was recorded in vivo using thin-film longitudinal intrafascicular electrodes. A neural spike detection and classification scheme was developed for the purpose of separating activity of primary and secondary muscle spindle afferents. The algorithm is based on the multiscale continuous wavelet transform using complex wavelets. The detection scheme outperforms the commonly used threshold detection, especially with recordings having low signal-to-noise ratio. Results of classification of units indicate that the developed classifier is able to isolate activity having linear relationship with muscle length, which is a step towards online model-based estimation of muscle length that can be used in a closed-loop functional electrical stimulation system with natural sensory feedback.

Fine structural study of the innervation of muscle spindles in the internal oblique muscle of the abdominal wall in the adult mouse

We examined by electron microscopy the innervation of muscle spindles in the internal oblique muscle of the mouse abdominal wall. In the equatorial region, in addition to the sensory innervation on individual intrafusal muscle fibers, sensory cross terminals were often observed between nuclear chain fibers. In the area from the juxtaequatorial region to the polar region, nuclear bag fibers were supplied by trail and plate-type motor endings, while nuclear chain fibers were innervated by sensory endings, being probably secondary sensory endings. From these findings, it is clear that the innervation patterns differ between two types of intrafusal muscle fibers.

A further observation of muscle spindles in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged rat

We observed three novel muscle spindles in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged (20 months) rat. Two muscle spindles of the three contained thin muscle fibers lacking sensory innervation between the layers of the spindle capsule and within the periaxial space, respectively. The other one contained sensory-innervated thin muscle fibers with an indistinct equatorial nucleation between the layers of the spindle capsule. These findings suggest that the occurrence of thin muscle fibers may be intimately related to the degeneration and regeneration of extrafusal muscle fibers during aging and that these newly formed thin muscle fibers may often fail to receive sensory innervation.

[Neural mechanisms underlying spasticity]

Considering the various studies conducted on spasticity, it is quite evident that the signs and symptoms of this disorder vary. In some cases of spasticity, spasms may be noted. An increase in velocity-dependent stretch reflexes has been proposed as a cardinal feature of spasticity. There are 2 possible mechanisms underlying increased stretch reflex of spasticity: one is the changes in gamma innervations and the other is one the changes in spinal motoneurons. Changes in gamma innervations for spasticity are not evident while the muscle are at rest. On the other hand, changes are clear in normal subjects during voluntary contraction of muscles, but not in sbjects with spasticity. We have discussed the changes in membrane properties caused by presynaptic inhibition, reciprocal Ia inhibitory function, recurrent inhibition, and autogenic Ib inhibition as the other candidate spinal mechanisms for spasticity.

The effect of muscle length and rate of fusimotor stimulation on the frequency of discharge in primary endings from muscle spindles in the cat

1. Responses from the primary endings of muscle spindles in the soleus muscle of the cat were recorded during repetitive fusimotor stimulation at a number of different muscle lengths.2. An increase in the rate of stimulation increased the size of both the peak and the plateau of the responses to stimulation of both static and dynamic fusimotor fibres.3. Responses, with the exception of the peak frequency of the discharge during dynamic fusimotor stimulation, increased in size on raising the muscle length up to maximum body length. The peak of the dynamic response reached its highest value at intermediate lengths.4. The effect of increasing stimulation rate and muscle length was to reduce both the latency and time to peak of fusimotor responses. The change in latency with muscle length was particularly dramatic at low stimulus rates.5. In an attempt to compare fusimotor responses with the behaviour of extrafusal muscle fibres, a model is proposed which consists of a mixture of extrafusal tension and rate of change of tension. This model could simulate the static fusimotor responses reported here.

The short-latency projection from the baboon's motor cortex to fusimotor neurones of the forearm and hand

1. The corticospinal connexions that are responsible for the firing of fusimotor impulses at short latency in response to brief, high-frequency stimulation of the baboon's motor cortex have been investigated by micro-electrode recording from antidromically identified fusimotor neurones of the forearm and hand.2. Of nineteen fusimotor neurones investigated by intracellular recording, six showed EPSPs at monosynaptic latency.3. In extracellular records, the latency of firing of an early fusimotor impulse was always too long to be explained by monosynaptic excitation by the corticospinal D volley, but could be explained by monosynaptic excitation from an I volley.4. Four of the nineteen intracellularly recorded fusimotor neurones showed short-latency (?disynaptic) IPSPs in response to brief high frequency cortical bursts.

Neuromuscular spindles in human lateral pterygoid muscles

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Lack of involvement of fusimotor activation in movements of the foot produced by electrical stimulation of monkey cerebral cortex

1. Contractions of the small muscles of the foot producing flexion and adduction of the hallux were elicited by brief trains of electrical stimulation of a motor point on the precentral gyrus of anaesthetized monkeys and these contractions were recorded myographically.2. The cortical stimulus intensities necessary to produce minimal muscle contractions were measured for different frequencies of stimulation at the cortical point, and the latency of the minimal muscle contraction was measured in each case.3. Section of all the relevant lumbar and sacral dorsal roots had no effect on the threshold stimulus currents necessary to produce minimal contractions or on the latencies of these responses. Hence, in the anaesthetized monkey, the power of the cortico-fusimotor activity stirred up by electrical stimulation of the cortex is inadequate to influence significantly the motor responses of the most accessible muscles.

The structure, distribution and innervation of spindles in the extensor digitorum brevis I muscle of the tortoise Testudo graeca

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The innervation of muscle spindles in the lizard Tiliqua nigrolutea

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Spindle secondary ending responses elicited by stimulation of static fusimotor axons

1. Indirect evidence on the time course of intrafusal events associated with stimulation of a static fusimotor axon was obtained by analysis of the responses from muscle spindle secondary endings of the cat.2. In many instances, a single impulse in a single static fusimotor axon to a muscle spindle evoked a transient increase in discharge of the secondary ending the duration of which ranged from 30 to 60 msec with a rising phase of 6-20 msec. Increasing the length of the muscle increased the slope of the rising phase and augmented the magnitude of the response.3. Different static fusimotor axons produced different effects upon secondary endings. A single impulse in some fusimotor axons did not produce an effect while repetitive stimulation produced a smooth increase in discharge frequency. When efficacious, a single fusimotor impulse evoked approximately a similar duration of increased discharge from a secondary ending and a primary ending of the same muscle spindle. The relative magnitude of effects of a given fusimotor axon on primary and secondary endings of a spindle varied.4. During partial curarization the changes in the discharges of a secondary ending evoked by stimulation of a single static fusimotor axon occurred in a step-like fashion.5. These results are interpreted as supporting the idea that static fusimotor axons induce twitch-like contractions of intrafusal elements (nuclear chain) through the intermediary of propagated action potentials.

The response to stretch of muscle spindle afferents of baboon's tibialis anticus and the effect of fusimotor stimulation

1. Systematic studies of the response of baboon's tibialis anticus muscle spindles to stretch were undertaken. Most of the spindle afferents studied had conduction velocities between 72 and 78 m/sec with a range from 39 to 93 m/sec. There was no clear bimodality in the histogram of the conduction velocity. Measurements were made of the axon diameters of the nerve to tibialis anticus. The largest number of the larger axons had diameters from 11 to 13 mu. The largest axon diameter measured 17 mu and there were very few of these.2. The dynamic index for any given afferent tended to be greater for the more rapidly conducting afferents and lower for the more slowly conducting afferents. However, a statistically significant regression line of this relationship could only be drawn for a stretch velocity of 64 mm/sec.3. The spindle afferent response to stretch was studied from different muscle lengths. It was found that the velocity sensitive portion of the response to phasic stretch decreased when the stretch extended up to or beyond the maximum physiological length of the muscle.4. Dynamic and static fusimotor fibres were isolated. The response of the spindle afferent to stretch, while the dynamic fusimotor fibre was being stimulated, was the same as that reported for the cat by P. B. C. Matthews (1962). During static fusimotor stimulation the response of the spindle afferent to stretch was usually like that reported for the cat. In a single case, however, static fusimotor stimulation resulted in a lowering of the peak frequency of the response of the spindle afferent to the phasic portion of stretch.

The independence of corticomotoneuronal and fusimotor pathways in the production of muscle contraction by motor cortex stimulation

1. The response of thirty spindle afferents was studied during cortical stimulation of the ;best point' for eliciting a contraction of tibialis anticus in baboons anaesthetized with N(2)O/O(2) mixtures supplemented by small doses of barbiturates.2. No evidence of fusimotor activity before a contraction of the muscle was found. Evidence of fusimotor activity during the contraction and after the cortical stimulus was found. The various problems associated with interpretation of this activity are discussed.3. Depression of the spindle afferent response by tetanic cortical stimulation, which produced no detectable tension change, was found for four spindle afferents. This depression was particularly well documented for one spindle afferent. The depression could be explained by a decrease of static fusimotor activity.4. The spindle afferent response to muscle stretch was studied during light anaesthesia. The effect of barbiturates on this response suggested a depression of static fusimotor activity.