The dopamine system plays an integral role in motor physiology. Dopamine controls movement by modulation of higher-order motor centers (e.g., basal ganglia) but may also regulate movement by directly controlling motoneuron function. Even though dopamine cells synapse onto motoneurons, which themselves express dopamine receptors, it is unknown whether dopamine modulates skeletal muscle activity....

[Purpose] Muscle tone is known to predict the motor function of the upper extremity within 12 months after onset in stroke survivors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether motor function of the upper extremity can predict the risk of hypertonia in chronic stroke survivors, and to analyze the correlation between the two variables to determine the predictive validity. [Subjects and Met...

OBJECTIVE This study aims to compare the difference and the change trend of Muscle Architecture Parameters (MAP) between spastic and normal muscle tone patients after stroke, and analysis the application and value of Muscle Architecture Parameters in evaluating spasticity after stroke. METHODS 41 stroke patients were divided into spastic group (26 cases), normal muscle tone control group (15 ...

Sleep markedly affects fundamental mechanisms of motor control. Sleep not only suppresses postural muscle tone (Brooks and Peever, 2008b; Burgess et al., 2008), but it also attenuates, and in some cases even abolishes motor reflexes (e.g., H-reflex) (Wills and Chase, 1979). Mechanisms of motor control are also differentially affected by prevailing behavioral state. For example, muscle tone and ...

The purpose of this research was to investigate the interaction between muscle tone at the wrist and self-care function in persons with hemiparesis. Dynamic and static muscle tone measurements were taken at the wrist. Self-care ability was measured with a chart review and the Klein-Bell Scale. The results of the study did not support the assumption that there is a significant relationship betwe...

Skeletal muscle tone is modulated in a stereotypical pattern across the sleep-wake cycle. Abnormalities in this modulation contribute to most of the major sleep disorders; therefore, characterizing the neurochemical substrate responsible for transmitting a sleep-wake drive to somatic motoneurons needs to be determined. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that modulates motoneuron excita...

Mechanisms of elevation of active tone in arterial smooth muscle of spontaneously hypertensive rats and effects of antihypertensive treatments are reviewed. Spontaneously hypertensive rats are created by Okamoto et al. and classified mainly into three strains, SHR, SHRSP and M-SHRSP. Blood pressure of the rats is higher in this order. The aortic smooth muscle of these rats exhibits elevation of...

A case of acute transient flaccid quadriparesis after a low voltage electric shock is reported. The patient recovered completely with in three days.

Spasticity or increase in muscle tone is one of the problems following stroke. Due to this increase in muscle tone, patients are confronted to problems in motor control and difficulties in activities of daily living and complications such as shortness and contracture. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of using splint or botulinum toxin injection on spasticity, range of motion and ...