Achilles Tendon Reflexes and Surface EMG Activity during Anticipation of a Significant Event and Preparation for a Voluntary Movement

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Abstract
Achilles tendon reflexes were evoked bilaterally during and shortly after an interstimulus-interval (ISI) of 4 s and expressed as percentages of an averaged control reflex. Surface EMG of the soleus muscles was recorded continuously during the ISI, and expressed as percentages of a control EMG level. Three types of tasks were introduced, according to a between subjects design. Condition I consisted of a guessing task, involving anticipation of the second stimulus (S2) and not requiring a motor response. Conditions II and III were a warned choice and simple RT task respectively, the motor response to S2 being a plantar flexion of either the left or right foot in Condition II, and a plantar flexion of the right foot in Condition III. The results can be stated as follows: