Reduced depression of transmitter release from Ia afferents following previous activation (post-activation depression) has
been suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of spasticity. However, the effect of this mechanism on the myotatic
reflex and its possible contribution to increased reflex excitability in spastic participants has not been tested. To investigate
these effects, we examined post-activation depression in Soleus H-reflex responses and in mechanically evoked Soleus stretch
reflex responses. Stretch reflex responses were evoked with consecutive dorsiflexion perturbations delivered at different
intervals. The magnitude of the stretch reflex and ankle torque response was assessed as a function of the time between perturbations.
Soleus stretch reflexes were evoked with constant velocity (175°/s) and amplitude (6°) plantar flexion perturbations. Soleus
H-reflexes were evoked by electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa. The stretch reflex and H-reflex
responses of 30 spastic participants (with multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury) were compared with those of 15 healthy
participants. In the healthy participants, the magnitude of the soleus stretch reflex and H-reflex decreased as the interval
between the stimulus/perturbation was decreased. Similarly, the stretch-evoked torque decreased. In the spastic participants,
the post-activation depression of both reflexes and the stretch-evoked torque was significantly smaller than in healthy participants.
These findings demonstrate that post-activation depression is an important factor in the evaluation of stretch reflex excitability
and muscle stiffness in spasticity, and they strengthen the hypothesis that reduced post-activation depression plays a role
in the pathophysiology of spasticity.
Keywords Stretch reflex - Hoffman reflex - Post-activation depression - Spasticity