Materials
FACTORS AFFECTING MUSCLE TONUS
Specimen Frog
Equipment Iron stand, muscle clamp, dissecting set
Introduction
Even during sleep, when the muscles are supposed to be completely relaxed, a certain turgidity
can be felt over the skeletal muscles, this is called muscle tonus. Muscle tonus is dependent
upon the innervation of the muscles, having its center in the spinal cord A decerebrate animal (i
e.) the frog can serve as the best specimen whereby muscle tonus can be demonstrated, and
some factors upon which it is dependent can also be shown.
PROCEDURE:
1 Cut off the upper jaw of the frog. Then suspend it by a hook passed through the lower jaw to
an iron stand Observe the positions of the extremities, especially the lower, in relation to its
body and space
2. When the frog starts to move, showing that spinal shock has passed off, observe again the
positions of the limbs How can you explain the different positions now, from that of procedure
no. 1?
3. Unhook the frog, open the abdomen and expose then cut the roots of the sciatic nerve to the
right lower extremity. Again hook the frog, then observe the differences in the positions of the
two lower extremities. Feel the difference in the turgescence of the gastrocnemius muscles. If
you have difficulty in feeling for this difference, remove the skin covering of the two
gastrocnemius muscles Explain the differences observed
4 With a pithing needle, destroy the spinal cord completely. Again observe the positions of the
two limbs
5. Make illustrations of your results.
Answer to questions:
a. What is spinal shock?
- applies to all phenomena surrounding physiologic or anatomic transection of the
spinal cord that results in temporary loss or depression of all or most spinal
reflex activity below the level of the injury.
b. What is the physiological importance of muscle tonus in man?
- Muscle tonus helps in maintaining body posture. For instance, the muscles
holding the jaw keep it in position with a continuous and partial contraction. When
a person sleeps or loses consciousness, the muscle tonus declines.
c. Where is the center for muscle tonus? Give the effect of the CNS and peripheral sensory
impulse on the degree of muscle tonus
- Muscle tone is regulated by the local spinal cord reflexes at the segmental level
innervating that muscle and also by suprasegmental influences.
