Search resultsLow-alcohol doses reduce common 10- to 15-Hz input to bilateral leg muscles during quiet standing
Title
Low-alcohol doses reduce common 10- to 15-Hz input to bilateral leg muscles during quiet standing
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2008
Authors
Journal
Journal of Neurophysiology
Volume
100
Issue
4
Pagination
2158 - 2164
Date published
2008
ISBN
00223077 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Analysis of Variance, article, Central Nervous System Depressants, controlled study, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Electroencephalogram, electromyography, Ethanol, extensor muscle, flexor muscle, human, human experiment, Humans, leg, leg muscle, male, motor unit, Muscle, Skeletal, nerve conduction, normal human, Postural Balance, Posture, priority journal, reticulospinal tract, standing
Abstract
The effects of low doses of alcohol on neural synchronization in muscular activity were investigated in ten participants during quiet standing with eyes open or closed. We focused on changes in common input to bilateral motor unit pools as evident in surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings of lower leg extensor and flexor muscles. The extensor muscles exhibited bilateral synchronization in two distinct frequency bands (i.e., 0-5 and 10-15 Hz), whereas synchronization between flexor muscles was minimal. As expected, alcohol ingestion affected postural sway, yielding increased sway at higher blood-alcohol levels. Whereas vision affected bilateral synchronization only at 0-5 Hz, alcohol ingestion resulted in a progressive decrease of synchronization at 10-15 Hz between the EMG activities of the extensor muscles. The decrease in common bilateral input is most likely related to reduced reticulospinal activity with alcohol ingestion. Copyright