A STUDY OF AFTER-CONTRACTION

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
When a set of muscles, e.g., those involved in raising the extended leg, is voluntarily kept in action for a time and then voluntarily relaxed, there occurs involuntarily a repetition of the original movement (after-contraction). By this method an analysis of the factors concerned in after-contraction was made. The effects of variations in the initial stimulus, of facilitation and reinforcement, of inhibition and of fatigue in modifying the reaction are descr. Comparison with after-discharge is made, and an explanation that after-contraction is due primarily to a persistent excitatory state in the cortical motor neurones is offered. By use of this method certain selective drug actions may be studied.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: