Atropine Effect On Muscle Contraction

The uptake of oxygen into muscles is what facilitates muscle contraction. Oxygen that is obtained through breathing by the lungs is transported to the rest of the body, as well as the heart by means of haemoglobin. The rate of liberation of oxygen from haemoglobin has an effect on the quantity of oxygen available in the muscles for a muscle contraction to ensue. The higher the oxygen concentration in the muscle the greater the force of muscle contraction. Temperature has an effect on the muscle’s contractile ability. Oxygen is more tightly bound to haemoglobin in cold temperatures and this means it does not discharge easily from the haemoglobin. This in turn decreases the oxygen available for muscle contraction due to the slow rate at which oxygen liberates from haemoglobin resulting in a decrease in heart rate because the force of muscle contraction is consequentially low (Lagerstrand, 1982). This is observed in the above results for cardiac contraction under cold temperatures. In high temperatures however, the oxygen eagerly discharges from haemoglobin thus resulting in an increased rate of oxygen supply. The result of more oxygen being available to muscles increases the force of contraction and consequentially the heart rate (Lagerstrand, 1982). The results …show more content…
Atropine as an inhibitory effect on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine’s action on the cardiac muscle. Atropine release in the body is stimulated by a low heart rate resulting from vagal stimulation and thus functions to increase the heart rate. For this reason, atropine is said to be sympathomimetic in its action (Burggren & Doyle, 1986). These findings are synonymous with the results obtained in the second recording (figure 6) where a combination of atropine and acetylcholine was introduced to the heart. The heart rate increased as a result of the inhibited effects of acetylcholine by