METABOLIC FACTORS AFFECTING FIBRILLATION IN DENERVATED MUSCLE

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and man, motor nerves were exposed and crushed 10 times with a smooth-bladed forceps. The muscle action potential was recorded with concentric needle electrodes (Adrian and Bronk 1929) through conventional amplifier and cathode ray oscilloscope from the day following denervation up to functional recovery estimated in the usual way in man and monkey and using the toe-spreading reflex in the other exptl. animals. All measurements taken were at room temp. between 18[degree] C and 22[degree] C. The time of fibrillation onset varied with mammal size; the smaller the earlier the onset. Quantity of fibrillation decreased as size of animal increased. Desiccaed thyroid hastened onset of fibrillation while thyroidectomy delayed it. Warmth increased fibrillation; cold decreased it. The effect of temp. was presumably related to metabolism. Authors confirmed Solandt and Magladery (1940) that there was no close relationship between atrophy and fibrillation, for muscle atrophy in man may be observed before the onset of fibrillation.