MODULATION OF H-REFLEX IN HUMAN TIBIALIS ANTERIOR MUSCLE WITH PASSIVEMOVEMENT

Significant movement-induced gain changes in H reflexes hare been obse rved in soleus muscle following passive movement of the lower limb. Hy potheses from these concepts were tested on magnitudes of H reflexes i n tonically contracted tibialis anterior. From eleven subjects at rate s of 20 and 60 r.p.m, passive leg movement, statistically significant attenuation from controls and phasic modulation occurred. The results make more general the conclusions from soleus H reflexes. However, the functional effect should be much smaller,as tibialis anterior H refle xes are smaller compared to those in soleus. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.