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Excitability at the Motoneuron Pool and Motor Cortex Is Specifically Modulated in Lengthening Compared to Isometric Contractions

¹Neuromuscular Research Center, Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland; ²Institute of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; ³Department of Training and Movement Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; ⁴Laboratory of Biomechanics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; and ⁵Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Lappeenranta, Lappeenranta, Finland

Submitted 3 October 2008; accepted in final form 27 January 2009

Neural control of muscle contraction seems to be unique during muscle lengthening. The present study aimed to determine the specific sites of modulatory control for lengthening compared with isometric contractions. We used stimulation of the motor cortex and corticospinal tract to observe changes at the spinal and cortical levels. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and cervicomedullary MEPs (CMEPs) were evoked in biceps brachii and brachioradialis during maximal and submaximal lengthening and isometric contractions at the same elbow angle. Sizes of CMEPs and MEPs were lower in lengthening contractions for both muscles (by 28 and 16%, respectively; P < 0.01), but MEP-to-CMEP ratios increased (by 21%; P < 0.05). These results indicate reduced excitability at the spinal level but enhanced motor cortical excitability for lengthening compared with isometric muscle contractions.