Muscle disuse caused by botulinum toxin injection leads to increased central gain of the stretch reflex in the rat

TY - JOUR

T1 - Muscle disuse caused by botulinum toxin injection leads to increased central gain of the stretch reflex in the rat

AU - Pingel, Jessica

AU - Hultborn, Hans

AU - Naslund-Koch, Lui

AU - Jensen, Dennis Bo

AU - Wienecke, Jacob

AU - Nielsen, Jens Bo

N1 - CURIS 2017 NEXS 264

PY - 2017/10

Y1 - 2017/10

N2 - Botulinum toxin (Btx) is used in children with cerebral palsy and in other neurological patients to diminish spasticity and reduce the risk of development of contractures. We investigated changes in the central gain of the stretch reflex circuitry in response to Btx injection in the triceps surae muscle in rats. Experiments were performed in 21 rats. Eight rats were a control group, and 13 rats were injected with 6 IU of Btx in the left triceps surae muscle. Two weeks after Btx injection, larger monosynaptic reflexes (MSR) were recorded from the left (injected) than the right (noninjected) L4 + L5 ventral roots following stimulation of the corresponding dorsal roots. A similar increase on the left side was observed in response to stimulation of descending motor tracts, suggesting that increased excitability of spinal motor neurons may at least partly explain the increased reflexes. However, significant changes were also observed in postactivation depression of the MSR, suggesting that plastic changes in transmission from Ia afferent to the motor neurons also may be involved. The data demonstrate that muscle paralysis induced by Btx injection is accompanied by plastic adaptations in the central stretch reflex circuitry, which counteract the antispastic effect of Btx. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Injection of botulinum toxin into ankle muscles causes increased gain of stretch reflex. This is caused by adaptive changes in regulation of transmitter release from Ia afferents and increased excitability of spinal motor neurons.

AB - Botulinum toxin (Btx) is used in children with cerebral palsy and in other neurological patients to diminish spasticity and reduce the risk of development of contractures. We investigated changes in the central gain of the stretch reflex circuitry in response to Btx injection in the triceps surae muscle in rats. Experiments were performed in 21 rats. Eight rats were a control group, and 13 rats were injected with 6 IU of Btx in the left triceps surae muscle. Two weeks after Btx injection, larger monosynaptic reflexes (MSR) were recorded from the left (injected) than the right (noninjected) L4 + L5 ventral roots following stimulation of the corresponding dorsal roots. A similar increase on the left side was observed in response to stimulation of descending motor tracts, suggesting that increased excitability of spinal motor neurons may at least partly explain the increased reflexes. However, significant changes were also observed in postactivation depression of the MSR, suggesting that plastic changes in transmission from Ia afferent to the motor neurons also may be involved. The data demonstrate that muscle paralysis induced by Btx injection is accompanied by plastic adaptations in the central stretch reflex circuitry, which counteract the antispastic effect of Btx. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Injection of botulinum toxin into ankle muscles causes increased gain of stretch reflex. This is caused by adaptive changes in regulation of transmitter release from Ia afferents and increased excitability of spinal motor neurons.

KW - Botulinum toxin

KW - Rat

KW - Reflex

KW - Spasticity

U2 - 10.1152/jn.00276.2017

DO - 10.1152/jn.00276.2017

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28724781

SN - 0022-3077

VL - 118

SP - 1962

EP - 1969

JO - Journal of Neurophysiology

JF - Journal of Neurophysiology

IS - 4

ER -