Neural mechanisms of muscle relaxation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to quantify short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and electrical nerve stimulation to quantify H-reflex at different points during relaxation of flexor digitorum superficialis from a grip

Findings and Publications

1. Healthy young adults increase SICI during muscle relaxation.  Found here. 

2. Older adults are unable to increase their SICI during muscle relaxation, contributing to the longer time it takes them to relax their muscle completely. Found here. 

3. Stroke survivors' delayed grip relaxation is not explained by changes in SICI modulation. Rather, various factors of increased spasticity, reduced sensation, reduced grip strength, strength of the corticospinal connections and interhemispheric inhibition play a role. Found here. 

Balancing out uneven interhemispheric inhibition with actand muscle relaxation

Active passive bilateral therapy enhances the balance of inhibition between the motor parts of the two hemispheres. We experimented if a single 20-minute session would be helpful in improving muscle relaxation times. We found that it was not successful. More details here.