Afferents contributing to autogenic inhibition of gastrocnemius following electrical stimulation of its tendon

Abstract

Electrical stimulation of the Achilles tendon produced strong reflex inhibition of the ongoing voluntary EMG activity in the two heads of the gastrocnemius (GA) muscle in all tested subjects. The inhibition was seen clearly in both averaged and single sweep surface EMG records. The inhibitory response was produced without electrical (M wave) or mechanical, (muscle twitch) signs of direct muscle stimulation. The onset latency and duration for the first period of inhibition (I 1) were 47–49 ms and 67 ms, respectively. A second inhibition (I 2) had an onset latency of 187–193 ms and duration under 40 ms. Non-noxious stimuli in the range of 2.6–7.6 × mean perceptual threshold, when delivered to four locations over the GA tendon, all produced clear inhibition of the voluntary muscle activity. The inhibition was maximal when the cathode was a large metal plate located near the musculotendinous junction and decreased approximately linearly with distances more distal to that site. The effect of passive muscle stretch on the electrically induced tendon reflex inhibition (TRE) was tested at ankle joint angles incremented in steps of 20°. It was found that TRE is strongly dependent on joint angle, being maximal in the fully stretched muscle. TRE was lost completely after partial tibial nerve block. In comparison, GA inhibition produced by cutaneous (sural) nerve stimulation was of a higher threshold, longer latency and persisted after partial tibial nerve block. We thus demonstrated a powerful autogenic inhibition in the lower limb arising from tendon afferents in conscious subjects that is increased by passive muscle stretch and likely to originate from group I tendon afferents.