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The first agonist and antagonist burst in patients with an upper motor neuron syndrome
Author(s) -
Fagioli S.,
Berardelli A.,
Hallett M.,
Accornero N.,
Manfredi M.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.870030204
Subject(s) - agonist , antagonist , neuroscience , medicine , psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anesthesia , receptor
Rapid elbow flexion movements were studied in patients with an upper motor neuron syndrome following a stroke. The velocity of movements was slower than normal. The initial bursts of electromyographic (EMG) activity in both the agonist and antagonist muscles were prolonged. As in normal subjects, the first agonist burst increased in duration with larger movements, but it generally remained about 40 ms longer than normal. The size of the first agonist burst also increased with larger movements. A fixed linkage between burst duration and level of motor unit recruitment, together with a deficient corticospinal command, could explain the prolonged burst duration with preserved ability to modulate the burst.