Postactivation Depression of the Soleus H Reflex Measured Using Threshold Tracking

McNulty PA, Jankelowitz SK, Wiendels TM, Burke D. Postactivation depression of the soleus H reflex measured using threshold tracking. J Neurophysiol 100: 3275-3284, 2008. First published October 15, 2008; doi: 10.1152/jn.90435.2008. The interpretation of changes in the soleus H reflex is problematic in the face of reflex gain changes, a nonlinear input/output relationship for the motoneuron pool, and a nonhomogeneous response of different motoneurons to afferent inputs. By altering the stimulus intensity to maintain a constant reflex output, threshold tracking allows a relatively constant population of alpha-motoneurons to be studied. This approach was used to examine postactivation (homosynaptic) depression of the H reflex (HD) in 23 neurologically healthy subjects. The H reflex was elicited by tibial nerve stimulation at 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 1, and 2 Hz at rest and during voluntary plantar flexion at 2.5, 5, and 10% of maximum. A computerized threshold tracking procedure was used to set the current needed to generate a target H reflex 10% of M-max. The current needed to produce the target reflex increased with stimulus rate but not significantly beyond 1 Hz. In three subjects, the current needed to produce H reflexes of 5, 10, 15, and 20% M-max at 0.3, 1, and 2 Hz increased with rate and with the size of the test H reflex. HD was significantly reduced during voluntary contractions. Using threshold tracking, HD was maximal at lower frequencies than previously emphasized, probably because HD is greater the larger the test H reflex. This would reinforce the greater sensitivity of small motoneurons to reflex inputs.