
Hysteresis is a term used in various fields, including physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, and economics. It refers to the dependence of a system's state on its history, and it was first used in 1881 to describe the behaviour of magnetic materials. Muscle hysteresis specifically refers to the study of synergy in muscle movements, particularly in the upper limbs. It involves analysing the central commands and synergy patterns of muscles during two-joint movements and evaluating the changes in synergy effects between various muscle groups. Muscle hysteresis has been observed to lead to strong modifications of central commands during movements, and it is essential to understanding movement control and the behaviour of muscles in different states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Hysteresis is the dependence of the state of a system on its history. Muscle hysteresis refers to the theory that the muscle state depends on the threshold of the stretch reflex, or the minimal length at which a muscle begins to resist an externally applied force. |
| Examples | Hysteresis can be found in physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, and economics. It is incorporated in many artificial systems such as thermostats, Schmitt triggers, and latching relays. |
| Models | The Preisach model, the Bouc–Wen model, the Jiles–Atherton model, and the Prandtl-Ishlinskii model. |
| Effects | Hysteresis leads to strong modification of the central commands during movements. |
| Measurement | The multiplication index of synergy (MIS) can be used to evaluate quantitatively the changes in synergy effects between various muscle groups. |
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Muscle hysteresis and movement control
Hysteresis is a complex phenomenon observed in various fields, including physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, and economics. It refers to the dependence of a system's state on its historical behaviour. In the context of muscle hysteresis and movement control, it is essential to understand how hysteresis impacts muscle behaviour and the underlying physiological mechanisms.
Muscle hysteresis plays a crucial role in the control and coordination of human movements, particularly in the upper limbs. It refers to the muscle's ability to remember its previous state and adapt its response accordingly. This phenomenon is influenced by various factors, including the direction of movement, muscle groups involved, and the interaction between agonists and antagonists.
The stretch reflex is a key concept in understanding muscle hysteresis. This reflex is triggered when a muscle is stretched or lengthened beyond its resting length, causing it to resist the applied force. The threshold of this stretch reflex, or the minimal length at which the muscle begins to resist, is a critical parameter in defining the muscle's state. However, the traditional equilibrium point hypothesis falls short in explaining muscle hysteresis because it does not account for the non-linear behaviour of muscles.
During movement, the dynamic component of efferent discharge, which refers to the activation of motor neurons, plays a significant role in the central coding of muscle contractions. The contraction of agonists in the absence of antagonist activation is particularly important. Additionally, the direction of movement influences the muscle steady-state, where the after-effects of previous movements can create uncertainty in the current muscle state. This highlights the dynamic and complex nature of muscle hysteresis.
To study muscle hysteresis and movement control, researchers employ various techniques such as electromyography (EMG) to record muscle activity during specific movements. By analysing the EMG data, researchers can quantify muscle synergy and better understand the central commands that coordinate muscle groups during tasks like locomotion. The multiplication index of synergy (MIS) is one method used to evaluate changes in synergy effects between different muscle groups. Overall, muscle hysteresis is a critical factor in movement control, influencing the muscle's response to external forces and contributing to the complex coordination of human movements.
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Muscle hysteresis and the stretch reflex
Muscle hysteresis is a phenomenon observed in muscles during movement, specifically in the transition between equilibrium states. It refers to the non-linear behaviour of muscles, where the current state of a muscle depends not only on the current load or input but also on the history of loading and previous states.
The equilibrium point hypothesis is a widely accepted theory in the field of movement control and muscle behaviour. This hypothesis proposes that muscles act as executive elements of reflex circuits that originate in muscle proprioceptors and are controlled by the spinal cord and supraspinal motor centres. The threshold of the stretch reflex, which is the minimal length at which a muscle begins to resist an externally applied force, is considered a critical parameter in defining the muscle's state.
However, the equilibrium point hypothesis has been criticised for not adequately addressing muscle hysteresis. Muscle hysteresis becomes evident when considering the dynamic behaviour of muscles during movement. The dynamic component of efferent discharge, which refers to the neural output from the central nervous system to the muscles, plays a crucial role in the central coding of actual movements produced.
During movement, muscles exhibit hysteresis properties, as observed in the positional changes of electromyograms (EMGs). EMGs record electrical activity in muscles, and hysteresis loops can be visualised to represent the relationship between muscle position and EMG intensity. These hysteresis loops can have counterclockwise or clockwise directions, depending on whether they are associated with flexor or extensor muscles, respectively.
The study of muscle hysteresis and its role in movement control is essential for understanding the complex behaviour of muscles during dynamic activities. By considering muscle hysteresis, researchers can develop more accurate models of muscle behaviour and improve our understanding of the central commands and synergy patterns that govern movement.
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Muscle hysteresis in parafrontal upper limb movements
Muscle hysteresis refers to the phenomenon where the muscles predominantly opposing the loading forces of a given direction participate in a cocontraction mode as antagonists when the direction of load is changed. This results in a decrease in the amplitude of the hysteresis loops and a reversal in their direction.
In the context of parafrontal upper limb movements, muscle hysteresis has been observed in the muscles of the elbow and shoulder joints during slow, cyclic, two-joint movements. The central commands to these muscles, measured by surface EMGs, are closely related to positioning along the movement trajectory. Specifically, the EMG hysteresis in cyclic movements is determined by the following events:
- The forces generated by the active muscles reverse the direction of change.
- Eccentric contractions are replaced by concentric contractions and vice versa.
The shape and amplitude parameters of the hysteresis loops in the flexors and extensors change during sagittal shifts of the movement traces. In rightward movements, the flexor muscles in the elbow and shoulder showed predominant activation, while the extensors were either passive or showed weak coactivation. In leftward movements, the extensors were mostly activated. These positional changes in the averaged EMGs of both flexor and extensor muscles belonging to different joints demonstrated hysteresis properties, with counterclockwise loops in flexors and clockwise loops in extensors.
The multiplication index of synergy (MIS) has been proposed to quantitatively evaluate the changes in synergy effects between various muscle groups. The results demonstrate that muscle hysteresis leads to strong modifications of the central commands during movements.
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Muscle hysteresis and the central commands
Muscle hysteresis refers to the study of synergy in muscle movements, such as locomotion. It involves the analysis of central motor commands to a mammalian muscle in equilibrium states and during transition movements between these states. The equilibrium point hypothesis is a widely accepted theory in this field, which considers the muscle as an executive element of the reflex circuits originating in the muscle proprioceptors. The threshold of the stretch reflex is the main parameter defining the muscle state, representing the minimal length value at which a muscle begins to resist externally applied force.
However, this theory has been criticised for not accounting for the non-linearity in muscle behaviour, specifically the hysteresis. Hysteresis refers to the enhancement of contractile effectiveness, where a significant decrement of arrived efferent activity at the phase of length fixation evokes an internal elongation of the contractile elements within the muscle. This results in a dynamic component of efferent discharge, which is crucial for the central coding of real movements, particularly the contraction of agonists without antagonist activation.
The central commands to muscles in slow cyclic two-joint movements are closely related to the positioning of events along the movement trajectory. These events include the reversal of force direction generated by active muscles and the replacement of eccentric contractions with concentric contractions and vice versa. The EMG hysteresis in cyclic movements is determined by these events, with flexors and extensors exhibiting opposite directions in their hysteresis loops.
To investigate hysteresis variations in central commands, researchers have applied simplified modelling evaluations of muscle lengths and forces during test movements. The multiplication index of synergy (MIS) has been proposed to quantitatively evaluate changes in synergy effects between various muscle groups. The results demonstrate that muscle hysteresis leads to strong modifications of central commands during movements.
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Muscle hysteresis and the equilibrium point hypothesis
Muscle hysteresis is a phenomenon observed in muscles during movement. It refers to the muscle's ability to remember its previous movement and adjust its current movement accordingly. This creates a level of uncertainty in the muscle's steady-state, as the current movement direction and the after-effects of the previous movement influence the muscle's behaviour.
The equilibrium point hypothesis is a theory used to understand muscle behaviour and movement control. This hypothesis considers the muscle as an executive element of reflex circuits that originate in the muscle proprioceptors and are closed at the spinal cord and supraspinal motor centres. The main parameter defining muscle state is the threshold of the stretch reflex, which is the minimal length at which a muscle begins to resist an externally applied force.
However, one shortcoming of the equilibrium point hypothesis is that it does not fully account for the non-linearity in muscle behaviour, specifically the powerful hysteresis after-effects. These after-effects can influence the muscle's steady-state and depend on the direction of the previous movement, even when the stimulation parameters and applied loads are the same. This suggests that muscle behaviour within the stretch reflex system is dependent on the direction of movement, contrary to the assumptions of the equilibrium point hypothesis.
To address this, researchers have proposed a model that incorporates both the final position and movement velocity, instead of treating the quasi-static and dynamic components separately as in the equilibrium point hypothesis. This model acknowledges the importance of the dynamic phase of efferent activity in central coding for real movements, especially when there is a contraction of agonists without antagonist activation. Furthermore, the maintenance of the steady-state is closely associated with the energetically advantageous hysteresis mechanisms.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle hysteresis is the study of the synergy of central commands to muscles participating in parafrontal upper limb movements.
An example of muscle hysteresis is the movement of the hand from left to right and then in the opposite direction.
EMG stands for electromyography and is used to evaluate changes in synergy effects between various muscle groups.
EMGs are used to record from participating muscles and are used in the analysis of central commands in multi-joint movements.
An example of the use of EMGs is to study the synergy in real movements, such as locomotion.
















