SINGLE MOTOR‐UNIT CONTROL BY NORMAL AND CEREBRAL‐PALSIED MALES

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Abstract
Single motor-unit (SMU) control was compared for 3 ambulatory cerebral-palsied and 3 neurologically unimpaired subjects. Both groups were similar in their abilities to produce a discrete whole muscle contraction, to isolate and maintain firing of a single motor unit, and to turn a unit on at a visual signal. Unit inter-spike intervals were very similar for both groups. The cerebral-palsied subjects showed a consistent inability to inhibit single motor-unit (or whole muscle) activity if the isolated unit had been firing for some time; normal subjects did not show a similar inability.