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Incidence of F waves in single human thenar motor units
Author(s) -
Thomas Christine K.,
Johansson Roland S.,
BiglandRitchie Brenda
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.10005
Subject(s) - nerve conduction velocity , motor unit , axon , stimulus (psychology) , electromyography , electrophysiology , f wave , stimulation , anatomy , neuroscience , compound muscle action potential , physics , chemistry , medicine , psychology , psychotherapist
F‐wave generation, axon conduction velocities, and contractile properties were compared in 44 healthy individual human thenar motor units. Force and muscle action potentials were recorded when single motor axons were stimulated intraneurally about 10 cm proximal to the elbow. Each stimulus usually evoked only one electromyographic (EMG) potential. However, in seven units (16%), a single stimulus elicited an F wave in response to 1.7 ± 1.6% (mean ± SD) of the stimuli applied. Axon conduction velocity proximal to the site of stimulation was faster than distal conduction velocity (72.7 ± 8.0 m/s versus 64.2 ± 10.5 m/s). Distal conduction velocities, twitch forces, and contraction times were similar for units that did and did not generate F waves. Thus, no obvious subset of thenar motor units generated F waves. These results provide valuable baseline information on F waves that can be used to assess changes in axon conduction, motor unit contractile properties, and motoneuron excitability in disease. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 25: 77–82, 2002