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- Gladden, M H, et al.
(author)
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New observations on coupling between group II muscle afferents and feline gamma-motoneurones.
- 1998
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In: The Journal of physiology. - 0022-3751. ; 512 ( Pt 2), s. 507-20
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1. Extra- or intracellular recordings were made from seventy-six gamma-motoneurones of hindlimb muscles in chloralose anaesthetized cats to re-assess the coupling between secondary muscle spindle afferents (group II muscle afferents) and these neurones. The latencies of a number of responses evoked by group II muscle afferents in gamma-motoneurones were shorter than minimal latencies of responses induced disynaptically in other spinal neurones. These latencies are therefore compatible with monosynaptic coupling between muscle spindle secondaries and gamma-motoneurones. 2. Responses fulfilling criteria for monosynaptically evoked responses were seen in about one third of gamma-motoneurones with input from the group II muscle afferents tested (in 6 of 18 motoneurones recorded intracellularly and in 26 of 74 motoneurones recorded extracellularly). They were usually evoked from only one of the stimulated nerves, stimulation of group II afferents of other nerves being followed by responses at longer latencies. 3. Most gamma-motoneurones were excited by group II afferents from several muscles, both flexors and extensors. However, a comparison of group II input to gamma-motoneurones innervating medial gastrocnemius and four other hindlimb muscles revealed differences in both incidence and sources. 4. This study extends results of previous studies by providing evidence that some synaptic actions of group II afferents, including afferents from the same muscle, are evoked monosynaptically, and may assist in sustaining the activation of gamma-motoneurones by positive feedback.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Jankowska, Elzbieta, et al.
(author)
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Modulation of responses of feline gamma-motoneurones by noradrenaline, tizanidine and clonidine.
- 1998
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In: The Journal of physiology. - 0022-3751. ; 512 ( Pt 2), s. 521-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1. Effects of noradrenaline (NA) and the alpha2 agonists tizanidine and clonidine were tested on extracellularly recorded responses of gamma-motoneurones in deeply anaesthetized cats. Two types of responses were used; firstly, short latency phasic responses evoked by electrical stimulation of group II afferents in a muscle nerve and, secondly, tonic background discharges. 2. Responses evoked by group II muscle afferents were depressed when NA and tizanidine were applied ionophoretically close to a gamma-motoneurone and when clonidine was applied systemically. The number of spike potentials evoked by stimulation of these afferents decreased and their latencies increased. Responses evoked by flexor or extensor afferents in gamma-motoneurones innervating flexors or extensors were similarly depressed. 3. Tonic discharges were inconsistently and/or insignificantly affected by locally applied NA and tizanidine but were depressed by systemically applied clonidine. 4. Control tests indicate specific effects of NA and tizanidine application since similarly ionophoresed H+ ions did not change responses of gamma-motoneurones to stimulation of group II afferents, or only weakly enhanced their background discharges. Furthermore, serotonin ejected from a solution with a similar pH facilitated rather than depressed responses of gamma-motoneurones. 5. The results indicate that some antispastic effects of clonidine and tizanidine may be due to the depression of group II-evoked responses of gamma-motoneurones, resulting in weaker responses of muscle spindles to muscle stretches.
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