Fourier series analysis of the electrophysiological pattern of fatigue in healthy human beings, after curare administration.

Real time computer analysis of the electrophysiological development of muscular fatigue after small doses of d-tubocurarine (TC), has been examined in anesthetized human beings. As compared to a decrease of frequency in the control measurements, previous studies have shown an increase of the frequency of spikes after TC administration. The present experiments were carried out on the biceps brachii of 8 healthy human volunteers maintained in isometric contraction against a constant counter load until complete fatigue occurred. The Fourier spectrum analysis showed a statistically significant shift to lower frequencies before, and a milder statistically non significant shift after TC. These results may indicate that under mild curarization the early phase of muscular contraction requires a higher number of large motor units and thus, at a later stage of the contraction the pool of available large motor units becomes smaller. This conclusion supports the hypothesis that mild curarization causes a state of initial muscular fatigue.