A study on the influence of contraction intensity on the H-reflex of a hand muscle

Resumo

The H (Hoffman) reflex is a noninvasive technique used to evaluate the synaptic organization of the spinal cord, as well as the excitability of the reflex arc. In this procedure, percutaneous electrical stimuli are applied to the peripheral nerve to evoke reflex responses that can be measured by the electromyogram of the target muscle. Different factors can modulate the H-reflex amplitude. Nonetheless, few studies have investigated how contraction intensity influence the excitability of spinal cord circuits controlling upper limb muscle. Therefore, the present project is aimed at investigating the effect of contraction intensity on the excitability of spinal cord circuits of a hand muscle.