ArticleJournal of neurophysiology2018
Motor unit discharge characteristics and walking performance of individuals with multiple sclerosis.
Article in Journal of neurophysiology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 38 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Relationship Between Walking Speed and the Energetic Cost of Walking in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Controls: A Systematic Review.Neurorehabilitation and neural repair · 2021Pooled it
- Motor reaction time and accuracy in patients with multiple sclerosis: effects of an active computerized training program.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2019Trial
- Stroke increases motor output variability during maximal voluntary isometric contractions of knee extensor muscles in adults.Physiological reports · 2026Article
- Pathophysiology of voluntary motor commands at the level of the spinal motoneuron in patients with multiple sclerosis.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2025Article
- Explaining the influence of practice on the grooved pegboard times of older adults: role of force steadiness.Experimental brain research · 2024Article
- Modified motor unit properties in residual muscle following transtibial amputation.Journal of neural engineering · 2024Article
- Metabolic costs of walking and arm reaching in persons with mild multiple sclerosis.Journal of neurophysiology · 2023Article
- Effect of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract on Force Steadiness of the Quadriceps Femoris Muscle during Sustained Submaximal Isometric Contraction.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2022Article
- The impact of COVID-19 home confinement on neuromuscular performance, functional capacity, and psychological state in Spanish people with Multiple Sclerosis.Multiple sclerosis and related disorders · 2021Article
- Force control during submaximal isometric contractions is associated with walking performance in persons with multiple sclerosis.Journal of neurophysiology · 2020Article
- Differences in postural sway among healthy adults are associated with the ability to perform steady contractions with leg muscles.Experimental brain research · 2020Article
- Poor estimates of motor variability are associated with longer grooved pegboard times for middle-aged and older adults.Journal of neurophysiology · 2019Article
- Motor unit activity, force steadiness, and perceived fatigability are correlated with mobility in older adults.Journal of neurophysiology · 2018Article
- Adjustments in Torque Steadiness During Fatiguing Contractions Are Inversely Correlated With IQ in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis.Frontiers in physiology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Walking performance of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) is strongly influenced by the activation signals received by lower leg muscles. We examined the associations between force steadiness and motor unit discharge characteristics of lower leg muscles during submaximal isometric contractions with tests of walking performance and disability status in individuals who self-reported walking difficulties due to MS. We expected that worse walking performance would be associated with weaker plantar flexor muscles, worse force steadiness, and slower motor unit discharge times. Twenty-three individuals with relapsing-remitting MS (56 ± 7 yr) participated in the study. Participants completed one to three evaluation sessions that involved two walking tests (25-ft walk and 6-min walk), a manual dexterity test (grooved pegboard), health-related questionnaires, and measurement of strength, force steadiness, and motor unit discharge characteristics of lower leg muscles. Multiple regression analyses were used to construct models to explain the variance in measures of walking performance. There were statistically significant differences (effect sizes: 0.21-0.60) between the three muscles in mean interspike interval (ISI) and ISI distributions during steady submaximal contractions with the plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscles. The regression models explained 40% of the variance in 6-min walk distance and 47% of the variance in 25-ft walk time with two or three variables that included mean ISI for one of the plantar flexor muscles, dorsiflexor strength, and force steadiness. Walking speed and endurance in persons with relapsing-remitting MS were reduced in individuals with longer ISIs, weaker dorsiflexors, and worse plantar flexor force steadiness. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The walking endurance and gait speed of persons with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) were worse in individuals who had weaker dorsiflexor muscles and greater force fluctuations and longer times between action potentials discharged by motor units in plantar flexor muscles during steady isometric contractions. These findings indicate that the control of motor unit activity in lower leg muscles of individuals with MS is associated with their walking ability.
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