Aim 3

“To evaluate the excitability

of the group Ia reflex
pathway during the force
and position tasks.”
Taken from Neural Mechanisms in Muscle Fatigue
8/01/05 - 5/31/09
 Cortical structures

Brain Stem

Alpha Gamma
MN MN

Extrafusal muscle fibers

Group Ia
Intrafusal muscle fibers
afferents
Reflex responsiveness of a human hand
muscle when controlling isometric
force and joint position

Katrina Maluf Ben Barry Zach Riley Roger Enoka

 Purpose
• To compare reflex responsiveness of the
first dorsal interosseus muscle during two
tasks that employ different strategies to
stabilize the finger while exerting the same
net muscle torque.
Electrical Position

Force Mechanical
 Ia

APB
!MN

Heteronymous
Median Nerve

Ia FDI SPI
!MN !MN

Homonymous

APB
Ulnar Nerve
+ -

FDI

+ -
SPI
 Sample Responses

Electrical Mechanical
 Results - Electrical Stimulation
Peak-Peak Amplitude (mV)

Short Latency Long Latency

0.57

0.45
0.41
0.32

Force Position
 Results - Mechanical Stimulation
Peak-Peak Amplitude (mV)

Short Latency Long Latency

0.87 0.90

0.50 0.51

Force Position
 Electrical Stim Mechanical Stim

! response in
No Change
Position Task

likely mediated by

No Sensitivity of
! PSI during
stretch reflex to
Position task
PSI

What is different
about stimuli?

Near synchronous Temporally

volley dispersed volley

Less influenced by More influenced by

previous Ia action previous Ia action