We have tested the hypothesis that isoflurane potentiates non-depolarizing neuromuscular block via an increase in muscle blood flow. Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone 4-5 mg kg-1 in 30 adult male patients of ASA physical status I or II and was maintained with 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen supplemented with either a bolus dose of fentanyl 4 micrograms kg-1 followed by an infusion of 1 micro...

As individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) age they report noticeable deficits in muscle strength, endurance and functional capacity when performing everyday tasks. These changes begin at ~45 years. Here we present a cross-sectional analysis of paralyzed thenar muscle and motor unit contractile properties in two datasets obtained from different subjects who sustained a cervical SCI at differe...

In the present study, the adapted multiple point stimulation (AMPS) method was first applied to median innervated thenar muscles in 22 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients who did not received any treatment. In all patients, a motor unit number estimate (MUNE) and an average surface-recorded motor unit action potential (S-MUAP) size have been derived even if the denervation was severe; ...

Decomposition-enhanced spike-triggered averaging (DE-STA) has been developed as a method for obtaining a motor unit number estimate (MUNE). We describe the method and report control data for the first dorsal interosseous/adductor pollicis and thenar muscles and reliability in the thenar muscles. Seventeen subjects (ages 20-50 years) took part in the study. The maximum M potential was elicited w...

Involuntary contractions of paralyzed muscles (spasms) commonly disrupt daily activities and rehabilitation after human spinal cord injury (SCI). Our aim was to examine the recruitment, firing rate modulation, and derecruitment of motor units that underlie spasms of thenar muscles after cervical SCI. Intramuscular electromyographic activity (EMG), surface EMG, and force were recorded during the...

Little is known about how human motor units respond to chronic paralysis. Our aim was to record surface electromyographic (EMG) signals, twitch forces, and tetanic forces from paralyzed motor units in the thenar muscles of individuals (n = 12) with chronic (1.5-19 yr) cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Each motor unit was activated by intraneural stimulation of its motor axon using single pulse...

METHOD The adapted multiple point stimulation (AMPS) method for calculating motor unit numbers (MUNE) was applied in 12 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) before riluzole therapy (T(0)) and again after 4, 8 and 12 months of treatment. RESULTS Paired Student's t-test indicated a significant decrease of thenar MUNE and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) size at each 4-monthl...

Small and large fibre function was studied in 40 non-ketotic, newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic patients and 48 age-matched controls, using 12 quantitative tests for assessment of cutaneous sensation. Patients were aged 10-39 years and had been treated with insulin for 4-31 days. Thermal discrimination (foot), warm and cold thermal perception (thenar eminence and foot), and heat and cold pain per...