Abstract
Functional asymmetries exist in right handers due to asymmetries at multiple levels of the nervous system. Spinally-mediated contributions have been assessed using the Hoffmann reflex but have provided varying results. The purpose of this paper was to explore possible spinally-mediated contributions from cutaneous receptors to the asymmetry in strength seen in right handed individuals. Asymmetries were assessed by maximal voluntary contraction force during wrist flexion, extension, and handgrip. Peak muscle activation (EMGmax) was measured in the flexor (FCR) and extensor (ECR) carpi radialis and normalized to the maximal evoked motor responses (M-Max) elicited via median (MED) or radial nerve stimulation applied proximal to the elbow joint. Cutaneous reflexes were evoked by trains of stimulation (5x1ms @ 300Hz) delivered to the superficial radial (SR) or MED at the wrist during graded ipsilateral wrist extension contractions of 5, 10, 25, and 50% EMGmax. Results indicate that asymmetries exist for both strength and maximal muscle activation normalized to M-Max. Early latency (50 – 70 ms) cutaneous reflex amplitudes are larger on the dominant (right) side. However, when normalized to background EMG these differences disappear. Thus, when considering the same relative input, cutaneous afferent pathways have similar bilateral effects during ongoing muscle activity.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Guiard, Y.: Asymmetric division of labor in human skilled bemanual action: the kinematic chain as a model. J. Mot. Behav. 19, 486–517 (1987)
Bohannon, R.W.: Grip strength: a summary of studies comparing dominant and nondominant limb measurements. Percept. Mot. Skills 96(3 Pt. 1), 728–730 (2003)
Hammond, G.: Correlates of human handedness in primary motor cortex: a review and hypothesis. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 26(3), 285–292 (2002)
Amunts, K., Jäncke, L., Mohlberg, H., Steinmetz, H., Zilles, K.: Interhemispheric asymmetry of the human motor cortex related to handedness and gender. Neuropsychologia 38(3), 304–312 (2000)
Jung, P., Baumgärtner, U., Bauermann, T., Magerl, W., Gawehn, J., Stoeter, P., Treede, R.-D.: Asymmetry in the human primary somatosensory cortex and handedness. Neuroimage 19(3), 913–923 (2003)
Soros, P., Knecht, S., Imai, T., Gurtler, S., Lutkenhoner, B., Eingelstein, E.B., Henningsen, H.: Cortical asymmetries of the human somatosensory hand representation in right- and left-handers. Peter So. 271, 89–92 (1999)
Schmied, A., Vedel, J.P., Pagni, S.: Human spinal lateralization assessed from motoneurone synchronization: dependence on handedness and motor unit type. J. Physiol. 480(Pt. 2), 369–387 (1994)
Tan, U.: Left-right differences in the hoffmann reflex recovery curve associated with handedness in normal subjects 3, 75–78 (1985)
Nativ, A., Frank, J., Allard, F.: The effect of handedness on spinal and supra-spinal reflex excitability. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 72(2), 157–164 (1989)
Shim, J.K., Karol, S., Kim, Y.-S., Seo, N.J., Kim, Y.H., Kim, Y., Yoon, B.C.: Tactile feedback plays a critical role in maximum finger force production. J. Biomech. 45(3), 415–420 (2012)
Kim, Y., Shim, J.K., Hong, Y.-K., Lee, S.-H., Yoon, B.C.: Cutaneous sensory feedback plays a critical role in agonist- antagonist co-activation. Exp. Brain Res. 229(2), 149–156 (2013)
Petersen, P., Petrick, M., Connor, H., Conklin, D.: Hand Dominance 43(7), 444–447 (1989)
Ozcan, A., Tulum, Z., Pinar, L., Başkurt, F.: Comparison of pressure pain threshold, grip strength, dexterity and touch pressure of dominant and non-dominant hands within and between right-and left-handed subjects. J. Korean Med. Sci. 19(6), 874–878 (2004)
Farthing, J.P., Paul Zehr, E.: Restoring Symmetry: Clinical Applications of Cross-Education. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev. (February 2014)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this paper
Cite this paper
Barss, T.S., Klarner, T., Zehr, E.P. (2014). Equivalent Bilateral Early Latency Cutaneous Reflex Amplitudes during Graded Contractions in Right Handers. In: Jensen, W., Andersen, O., Akay, M. (eds) Replace, Repair, Restore, Relieve – Bridging Clinical and Engineering Solutions in Neurorehabilitation. Biosystems & Biorobotics, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08072-7_47
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08072-7_47
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-08071-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08072-7
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)