[Adaptation of motor nerve fibers to physical activity]

Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper. 1990 Nov;66(11):1121-8.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

The effects induced by training on the H-reflex of soleus and lateral gastrocnemius muscles have been studied on 19 adult male volunteers; out of these, 10 were non-trained subjects and the remaining 9 were top level athletes engaged in sports requiring very rapid and intense contractions (sprinters and volley-ball players). It has been observed that the latency of the M response is significantly higher in the athletes than in the non-trained subjects. Instead, no significant differences were observed between these two groups, concerning the latency of H response. The increase of M response latency is likely due to a decrease of nerve conduction velocity in the terminal part of motor fibers. The possibility that this conduction speed decrease could be dependent on sprouting and/or terminal branching growth of the motor nerve ending is discussed.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • H-Reflex / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motor Neurons / physiology*
  • Neural Conduction
  • Physical Exertion*
  • Reaction Time
  • Sports