The Effect of Prior Muscle Activation on the Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP)

Summary

The purpose of this investigator-initiated study is to determine the effect of prior muscle activation on the response obtained by nerve conduction studies (the compound muscle action potential \[CMAP\]) looking at the amplitude, area, and duration of the CMAP and evaluating the length of time the CMAP is larger than at baseline. On the opposite side, the corresponding CMAP will be tested periodically, but there will be no muscle activation on that side.

Null Hypothesis: While controlling all possible technical and other known physiological variables, prior activation of a muscle has no effect on the amplitude and area of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP); and the CMAP does not change over time in the relaxed muscle (on the opposite side).

The investigators suspect that there is an effect of prior activation of the muscle on the subsequent CMAP recorded from that muscle.

Conditions

• Focus: Effect of Muscle Activation on CMAP in Normal Humans

Interventions

OTHER

Hypothenar muscle activation--maximum, voluntary, isometric

Each subject will perform maximum, voluntary, isometric muscle activation (of the target muscle) for each of various durations ("single brief muscle twitch," 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 20 seconds \[two epochs of 10 seconds of muscle activation with 1-2 seconds of rest between the two epochs\]).

OTHER

Thenar muscle activation--maximum, voluntary, isometric

Each subject will perform maximum, voluntary, isometric muscle activation (of the target muscle) for each of various durations ("single brief muscle twitch," 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 20 seconds \[two epochs of 10 seconds of muscle activation with 1-2 seconds of rest between the two epochs\]).

OTHER

EDB muscle activation--maximum, voluntary, isometric

Each subject will perform maximum, voluntary, isometric muscle activation (of the target muscle) for each of various durations ("single brief muscle twitch," 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 20 seconds \[two epochs of 10 seconds of muscle activation with 1-2 seconds of rest between the two epochs\]).

OTHER

Relaxation of muscle

The muscle on the opposite side will be maintained at rest.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Loma Linda University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Gordon W. Peterson, MD · Neurology, Faculty Physicians and Surgeons of Loma Linda University School of Medicine

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

49 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2010-10-31

Primary Completion

2011-05-31

Completion

2019-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations