Changes in the properties of mechanomyographic signals and in the tension during the fatigue test of rat medial gastrocnemius muscle motor units

The influence of activity-related changes in tension on properties of the mechanomyogram (MMG) was investigated in fast fatigable, fast resistant and slow motor units (MUs). A standard fatigue test was used in which rhythmically repeated unfused tetani were evoked. The amplitudes of the rise in tension of the first and the last contraction within the unfused tetanus and the amplitudes of accompanying signals in MMG were calculated. For fast fatigable MUs a parallel decrease in the amplitudes of both analysed contractions and in the amplitudes of accompanying MMG signals during the fatigue test was observed. For majority of fast resistant MUs at the beginning of the fatigue test a potentiation occurred and this phenomenon increased the tension of the first contraction and of the peak tetanic tension. However, the potentiation coincided also with a decrease of the amplitude of the last contraction in the tension recording of an unfused tetanus. The MMG reflected both, the increase of amplitude of the first contraction and the decrease of the amplitude of the further contractions within the tetanus. The single twitch contraction evoked immediately before and after the fatigue test was additionally recorded. A decrease (fatigue) or an increase (potentiation) of the twitch tension after the fatigue test was reflected by a decrease or an increase in the amplitude of MMG, respectively. However, the fatigue failed to change significantly the time parameters of MMG. To conclude, fatigue and potentiation can occur during activity of fast MUs and both these phenomena involve changes in the amplitude of oscillations in tension of unfused tetani which are reflected in MMG. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.