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Biomedical subjects

H Hultborn

Publications and source records attributed to H Hultborn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Organization of common synaptic drive to motoneurones during fictive locomotion in the spinal cat.

The basic locomotor rhythm in the cat is generated by a neuronal network in the spinal cord. The exact organization of this network and its drive to the spinal motoneurones is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to use time (cumulant density) and frequency domain (coherence) analysis to examine the organization of the last order drive to motoneurones during fictive locomotion (evoked by application of nialamide and dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)) in the spinal cat. In all cats, narrow central synchronization peaks (half-width < 3 ms) were observed in cumulants estimated between electroneurograms (ENGs) of close synergists, but not between nerves belonging to muscles acting on different joints or to antagonistic muscles. Coherence was not observed at frequencies above 100 Hz and was mainly observed between synergists. Intracellular recording was obtained from a population of 70 lumbar motoneurones. Significant short-term synchronization was observed between the individual intracellular recordings and the ENGs recorded from nerves of the same pool and of close synergists. Recordings from 34 pairs of motoneurones (10 pairs belonged to the same motor pool, 11 pairs to close synergists and 13 pairs to antagonistic pools) failed to reveal any short-lasting synchronization. These data demonstrate that short-term synchronization during fictive locomotion is relatively weak and is restricted to close synergists. In addition, coherence analysis failed to identify any specific rhythmic component in the locomotor drive that could be associated with this synchronization. These results resemble findings obtained during human treadmill walking and imply that the spinal interneurones participating in the generation of the locomotor rhythm are themselves weakly synchronized. The restricted synchronization within the locomotor drive to motoneuronal pools may be a feature of the locomotor generating networks that is related to the ability of these networks to produce highly adaptive patterns of muscle activity during locomotion.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2003

Variable amplification of synaptic input to cat spinal motoneurones by dendritic persistent inward current.

Electrophysiological and computational evidence indicate that the excitatory current from the synapses on the somato-dendritic membrane is not large enough to drive the motoneurones to the firing frequencies actually attained under normal motor activity. It has been proposed that this paradox could be explained if the voltage-dependent persistent inward currents (PICs) present in the dendrites of motoneurones served to amplify synaptic excitation. We report here that dendritic PICs cause a large amplification of synaptic excitation, and that this amplification is enhanced when the background firing by current injection is increased. Moreover the frequency reduction by synaptic inhibition is greatly enhanced at higher firing frequencies, when the current through the recording electrode has activated the dendritic PICs, as is the case when the current-to-frequency slope suddenly becomes steeper. We also demonstrate that synaptic inhibition is several times more effective in reducing the firing caused by synaptic excitation than firing evoked by current injection through the recording microelectrode. That would be explained if motoneuronal discharge by synaptic excitation--but not by current injection in the soma--is always supported by dendritic PICs. We conclude that dendritic PICs contribute dynamically to the transformation of synaptic input into a motoneuronal frequency code.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

State-dependent modulation of sensory feedback.

By tradition - and for historical reasons - reflex pathways and interneurones have been named by their dominating sensory input. Later studies have demonstrated that each individual interneurone, as a rule, receives a broad convergence from a large variety of sensory modalities, as well as inputs from one or more descending tracts. It is thus possible that the traditional nomenclature inadvertently has served as a 'straightjacket' for conceptual development in this field. Indeed, there is now much evidence in favour of the view that the many classes of spinal interneurones may be seen as 'functional units' representing different levels of muscle synergies, parts of movements, or even more integrated motor behaviour. Such 'functional units' may be used by (different) descending pathways to mediate the motor commands from the brain and integrate the appropriate (multimodal) sensory feedback into the central command. A given sensory stimulus would then be able to affect the motor output through a number of parallel, or alternative, segmental pathways belonging to different 'functional units'. If this were correct it would indeed be predicted, rather than coming as a surprise, that a given sensory stimulus can result in different outputs - even with a different sign - depending on the preceding selection of active 'functional units', i.e. the type of motor activity initiated by the brain.

Feedback↗
PubMed2000

Presynaptic control of transmission along the pathway mediating disynaptic reciprocal inhibition in the cat.

In cat lumbar motoneurones, disynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) evoked by stimulation of antagonist motor nerves were depressed for at least 150 ms following conditioning stimulation of flexor (1.7-2 times threshold (T)) and ankle extensor (5T) nerves. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility that this depression is caused by presynaptic inhibitory mechanisms acting at the terminals of group I afferent fibres projecting to the Ia inhibitory interneurones and/or the terminals of these interneurones to the target motoneurones. Conditioning stimulation of flexor, but not ankle extensor, nerves evoked a depression of the monosynaptic Ia excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) recorded intracellularly in Ia inhibitory interneurones. This depression lasted between 200 and 700 ms and was not accompanied by a depression of the monosynaptic EPSPs evoked by stimulation of descending pathways. These results suggest that flexor, but not ankle extensor, group I afferent fibres can modulate sensory transmission at the synapse between Ia afferent fibres and Ia inhibitory interneurones. Conditioning stimulation of flexor muscle nerves, extensor muscle nerves and cutaneous nerves produced a long-lasting increase in excitability of the terminals of the Ia inhibitory interneurones. The increase in the excitability of the terminals was not secondary to an electrotonic spread of synaptic excitation at the soma. Indeed, concomitant with the excitability increase of the terminals there were signs of synaptic inhibition in the soma. The unitary IPSPs induced in target motoneurones following the spike activity of single Ia inhibitory interneurones were depressed by conditioning stimulation of muscle and cutaneous nerves. Since the conditioning stimulation also evoked compound IPSPs in those motoneurones, a firm conclusion as to whether unitary IPSP depression involved presynaptic inhibitory mechanism of the terminals of the interneurones could not be reached. The possibility that the changes in excitability of the Ia interneuronal terminals reflect the presence of a presynaptic inhibitory mechanism similar to that operating at the terminals of the afferent fibres (presynaptic inhibition) is discussed.1. In cat lumbar motoneurones, disynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) evoked by stimulation of antagonist motor nerves were depressed for at least 150 ms following conditioning stimulation of flexor (1.7-2 times threshold (T)) and ankle extensor (5T) nerves. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility that this depression is caused by presynaptic inhibitory mechanisms acting at the terminals of group I afferent fibres projecting to the Ia inhibitory interneurones and/or the terminals of these interneurones to the target motoneurones. Conditioning stimulation of flexor, but not ankle extensor, nerves evoked a depression of the monosynaptic Ia excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) recorded intracellularly in Ia inhibitory interneurones. This depression lasted between 200 and 700 ms and was not accompanied by a depression of the monosynaptic EPSPs evoked by stimulation of descending pathways. These results suggest that flexor, but not ankle extensor, group I afferent fibres can modulate sensory transmission at the synapse between Ia afferent fibres and Ia inhibitory interneurones. Conditioning stimulation of flexor muscle nerves, extensor muscle nerves and cutaneous nerves produced a long-lasting increase in excitability of the terminals of the Ia inhibitory interneurones. The increase in the excitability of the terminals was not secondary to an electrotonic spread of synaptic excitation at the soma. Indeed, concomitant with the excitability increase of the terminals there were signs of synaptic inhibition in the soma. The unitary IPSPs induced in target motoneurones following the spike activity of single Ia inhibitory interneurones were depressed by conditioning stimulation

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2000

Activity of hindlimb motor units during locomotion in the conscious rat.

This paper compares the activity of hindlimb motor units from muscles mainly composed of fast-twitch muscle fibers (medial and lateral gastrocnemius: MG/LG, tibialis anterior: TA) to motor units from a muscle mainly composed of slow-twitch muscle fibers (soleus: SOL) during unrestrained walking in the conscious rat. Several differences in the activation profiles of motor units from these two groups of muscles were observed. For example, motor units from fast muscles (e.g., MG/LG and TA) fired at very high mean frequencies of discharge, ranging from 60 to 100 Hz, and almost always were recruited with initial doublets or triplets, i.e., initial frequencies >/=100 Hz. In contrast, the majority of SOL units fired at much lower mean rates of discharge, approximately 30 Hz, and had initial frequencies of only 30-60 Hz (i.e., there were no initial doublets/triplets >/=100 Hz). Thus the presence of initial doublet or triplets was dependent on the intrinsic properties of the motor unit, i.e., faster units were recruited with a doublet/triplet more often than slower units. Moreover, in contrast to units from the slow SOL muscle, the activity of single motor units from the fast MG/LG muscle, especially units recruited midway or near the end of a locomotor burst, was unrelated to the activity of the remainder of the motoneuron pool, as measured by the corresponding gross-electromyographic (EMG) signal. This dissociation of activity was suggested to arise from a compartmentalized recruitment of the MG/LG motoneuron pool by the rhythm-generating networks of the spinal cord. In contrast, when comparing the rate modulation of simultaneously recorded motor units within a single LG muscle compartment, the frequency profiles of unit pairs were modulated in a parallel fashion. This suggested that the parent motoneurons were responsive to changes in synaptic inputs during unrestrained walking, unlike the poor rate modulation that occurs during locomotion induced from brain stem stimulation. In summary, data from this study provide evidence that the firing behavior of motor units during unrestrained walking is influenced by both the intrinsic properties of the parent motoneuron and by synaptic inputs from the locomotor networks of the spinal cord. In addition, it also provides the first extensive description of motor-unit activity from different muscles during unrestrained walking in the conscious rat.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1999

Proprioceptive control of extensor activity during fictive scratching and weight support compared to fictive locomotion.

At rest, extensor group I afferents produce oligosynaptic inhibition of extensor motoneurons. During locomotor activity, however, such inhibition is replaced by oligosynaptic excitation. Oligosynaptic excitation from extensor group I afferents plays a crucial role in the regulation of extensor activity during walking. In this study we investigate the possibility that this mechanism also regulates extensor muscle activity during other motor tasks. We show that the reflex pathways responsible for extensor group I oligosynaptic excitation during fictive locomotion can be activated during both fictive scratching and fictive weight support (tonic motor activity induced by contralateral scratching). These observations suggest that the excitatory group I oligosynaptic reflex pathways are open for transmission during several forms of motor activities. We also show that extensor group I input during fictive scratching can affect the amplitude and the timing of extensor activity in a pattern similar to that observed during locomotion. Most likely these effects involve the activation of the excitatory group I oligosynaptic reflex pathways. Accordingly, it is suggested that extensor group I oligosynaptic excitation during motor activities other than locomotion is also used to regulate extensor muscle activity. Furthermore, the similarity of effects from extensor group I input on the rhythmicity during scratching and locomotion supports the hypothesis that both rhythms are generated by a common network.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Amplitude of the maximum motor response (Mmax) in human muscles typically decreases during the course of an experiment.

It was shown that the amplitude of the soleus Mmax and Hmax responses decreases in the course of long-lasting H-reflex studies. The peak-to-peak amplitudes of the Mmax and Hmax responses in the soleus muscle (and the Mmax in the tibialis anterior muscle and small hand muscles) were measured repeatedly for 1-3 h in 20 subjects. 3-5 Mmax responses and 5-10 Hmax responses were elicited about every 3 min while the subject was at rest. Decreases in the soleus Mmax response of up to 50.5% (mean 20.5% SEM 2.2) and of the soleus Hmax of up to 49.7% (mean 19.1% SEM 3.7) in relation to the amplitudes measured at the beginning of the experiment were seen in 17 subjects. In 3 subjects no Mmax amplitude decrease was seen. The maximum decrease was reached between 10 and 100 min (mean 44.2 min SEM 4.3). An Mmax amplitude decrease was also seen in the tibialis anterior muscle and in two small hand muscles. In some subjects the decrease of the Mmax response seemed to be initiated by the infrequent supramaximal stimulations. The possible causes for this amplitude reduction, as well as the methodological consequences of these findings for H-reflex studies and fatigue studies, are briefly discussed.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1999

Activation patterns of hindlimb motor units in the awake rat and their relation to motoneuron intrinsic properties.

The activity of hindlimb motor units from the lateral gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles in the awake rat was compared during locomotion and during slow, sinusoidal muscle stretch. The majority of units were activated with high initial frequencies and often commenced firing with an initial doublet or triplet, even when activated by slow muscle stretch. The high firing rates at recruitment occurred without jumps in the firing rates of other concurrently activated units, the firing rate profiles of which were used as a measure of the net synaptic drive onto the motoneuronal pool. This suggested that the sharp recruitment jumps were not due to an abrupt increase in synaptic drive but rather due to intrinsic properties of the motoneuron. In addition, motor units that were activated phasically by the muscle stretch fired more action potentials during muscle shortening than during muscle lengthening, resulting in rightwardly skewed, asymmetrical firing profiles. In contrast, when the same units fired tonically during the imposed muscle stretch, the frequency profiles were modulated symmetrically and no nonlinearities were observed. Tonically firing units were modulated symmetrically throughout a wide range of firing frequencies, and discrete jumps in rate (i.e., bistable firing) were not observed. The sharp recruitment jumps during locomotion and muscle stretch are proposed to have resulted from the additional depolarization produced by the activation of plateau potentials at recruitment. Likewise, the sustained activation of plateaus subsequent to recruitment may have produced the prolonged firing of the motor units during sinusoidal muscle stretch.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

How do we approach the locomotor network in the mammalian spinal cord?

For a large number of vertebrate species it is now indisputable that spinal networks have the capability of generating the basic locomotor rhythm. However, because of technical difficulties, the rate of progress in defining the intrinsic properties of mammalian locomotor rhythm generators has been slow in comparison to that made in the study of such networks in lower vertebrates. Investigations on afferent and descending control of locomotor activity in mammals have demonstrated that many of these pathways interact with the rhythm generator. In this review we discuss how these interactions (resetting) can be used for outlining relevant spinal circuits as a basis for a future identification of individual neurons of the spinal locomotor networks. In this overview we have given particular emphasis to selected afferent systems to illustrate the possibilities and problems with this approach.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Flexor reflex afferents reset the step cycle during fictive locomotion in the cat.

The generation of locomotor-like spinal rhythms has been proposed to involve two neural centres with mutual reciprocal inhibition (Graham Brown's "half-centre" hypothesis). Much later a particular set of segmental flexor reflex pathways were described as being organized in accordance with this half-centre hypothesis. As these pathways became operative following injection of monoaminoxidase inhibitors and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa), i.e. under the same conditions under which a spontaneous locomotor activity may develop, it was assumed that these particular pathways and spinal rhythm generators involve the same neuronal networks. In order to give further evidence to this hypothesis, we investigated whether short trains to "flexor reflex afferents" (FRA) reset the spinal locomotor rhythm, i.e. shorten or lengthen the stimulated cycle after which the regular rhythm is resumed with step cycles of the original duration. The experiments were performed in anaemically decapitated, high-spinal curarized cats. A steady locomotor rhythm was induced by injection of nialamide and L-dopa and the influence of electrical stimulation (trains of 50-1000 ms) of FRA (joint, cutaneous, and group II and III muscle afferents) onto this rhythm was tested. Stimulation of FRA induced a clear resetting of the locomotor rhythm, which was mainly characterized by a flexion reflex pattern: during the extension phase the extensor activity was interrupted and a flexion phase was initiated; during the late flexion phase mainly a prolongation of that phase with a variable change of the following extension phase was induced. In addition to this prevailing pattern, stimulation of some nerves (in particular nerves to more distal extensors and the sural nerve) could often prolong extension, when stimulated during the late extension, or terminate the flexor burst and initiate a new extension phase, when stimulated during the late flexion phase. This pattern is probably due to the concomitant stimulation of group I afferents in the case of the muscle nerves and to separate non-FRA pathways in the case of the sural nerve. The results demonstrate that the interneurones of the FRA pathways, which are operative during L-dopa-induced locomotion in spinal animals, can be considered as neuronal elements of the rhythm-generating network for locomotion.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Pharmacologically evoked fictive motor patterns in the acutely spinalized marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus).

The existence of a spinal network capable of generating rhythmic alternating activity resembling locomotion still has not been firmly established in primates, including man, although evidence for one is accumulating. The present study investigated whether it is possible to activate such a network by administration of a variety of pharmacological agents to acutely spinalized marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) in the absence of phasic afferent input to the spinal cord. Fourteen marmoset monkeys were decerebrated, spinalized, and paralyzed. The nerves supplying both hindlimbs were cut and recorded from. In 5 monkeys the effect of electrical stimulation of the brainstem was investigated before spinalization. In 3 of these monkeys, rhythmic activity alternating between extensors and flexor nerves was seen. In the 2 other monkeys only synchronized activity was elicited. In acutely spinalized monkeys, administration of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa; 3-4 h after treatment with nialamide) failed to evoke any rhythmic alternating activity. In contrast, administration of clonidine elicited alternating activity in all of 8 monkeys tested. In 4 of these monkeys, the activity was restricted to alternation between ipsilateral and contralateral flexor nerves, whereas alternating activity between ipsilateral flexors and extensors was also seen in the other 4 monkeys. Administration of excitatory amino acids (NMDA or NMA) also elicited rhythmic alternating activity in 7 of 10 spinalized monkeys. In 4, rhythmic alternating activity was seen between extensors and flexors on one limb as well as between ipsilateral and contralateral flexors. In 3 monkeys NMDA/NMA produced alternation between extensors and flexors of one limb without alternation between the ipsilateral and contralateral sides. Administration of noradrenaline failed to elicit any rhythmic activity, but rather completely depressed already existing activity. Administration of serotonin (5-HT) was ineffective in facilitating alternating activity in 6 of 8 monkeys and was facilitatory to rhythmic activity in the other 2. We suggest that these data provide further evidence of a network capable of eliciting rhythmic alternating activity resembling locomotion in the primate spinal cord. The network, however, seems to be more difficult to activate pharmacologically in those conditions than in other mammals. This may especially be the case in higher primates, including man.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Synaptic activation of plateaus in hindlimb motoneurons of decerebrate cats.

Intracellular recordings were made from hindlimb motoneurons in decerebrate cats to study how synaptic inputs could affect the threshold at which plateau potentials are activated with current injections through the recording microelectrode in the cell body. This study was prompted by recent evidence that the noninactivating inward currents that regeneratively produce the plateau potentials arise (partly) from dendritic conductances, which may be relatively more accessible to synaptic input than to current injected into the soma. Initially, cells were studied by injecting a slow triangular current ramp intracellularly to determine the threshold for activation of the plateau. In cells where the sodium spikes were blocked with intracellular QX314, plateau activation was readily seen as a sudden jump in membrane potential, which was not directly reversed as the current was decreased. With normal spiking, the plateau activation (the noninactivating inward current) was reflected by a steep and sustained jump in firing rate that was not directly reversed as the current was decreased. Importantly, the threshold for plateau activation (at 34 Hz on average) was significantly above the recruitment level (13 Hz on average). When tonic synaptic excitation [excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs)] was provided either by stretching the triceps surae muscle or by stimulating its nerve at a high frequency, the threshold for plateau activation by intracellular current injection was significantly lowered (by 12 Hz or 5.8 mV on average, without and with QX314, respectively). Conversely, tonic synaptic inhibition [inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs)], provided by appropriate nerve stimulation, significantly raised the plateau threshold (by 19 Hz or 7.6 mV on average). These effects were graded with the intensity of tonic EPSPs and IPSPs. Strong enough EPSPs brought the plateau threshold down sufficiently that it was activated by the intracellular current soon after recruitment. A further increase in tonic EPSPs recruited the cell directly, and in this case the plateau was activated at or before recruitment. The finding that synaptic excitation can produce plateau activation below the recruitment level is of importance for the interpretation of its function. With this low-threshold activation, the plateau potentials are likely important in securing an effective recruitment to frequencies that produce significant force generation and would subsequently have no further affect on the frequency modulation, other than to provide a steady depolarizing bias that would help to sustain firing (cf. self-sustained firing). Additional jumps in frequency after recruitment (i.e., bistable firing) would not be expected.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1998

Short-term plasticity in hindlimb motoneurons of decerebrate cats.

Cat hindlimb motoneurons possess noninactivating voltage-gated inward currents that can, under appropriate conditions, regeneratively produce sustained increments in depolarization and firing of the cell (i.e., plateau potentials). Recent studies in turtle dorsal horn neurons and motoneurons indicate that facilitation of plateaus occurs with repeated plateau activation (decreased threshold and increased duration; this phenomenon is referred to as warm-up). The purpose of the present study was to study warm-up in cat motoneurons. Initially, cells were studied by injecting a slow triangular current ramp intracellularly to determine the threshold for activation of the plateau. In cells where the sodium spikes were blocked with intracellular QX314, plateau activation was readily seen as a sudden jump in membrane potential, which was not directly reversed as the current was decreased (cf. hysteresis). With normal spiking, the plateau activation (the noninactivating inward current) was reflected by a steep and sustained jump in firing rate, which was not directly reversed as the current was decreased (hysteresis). Repetitive plateau activation significantly lowered the plateau activation threshold in 83% of cells (by on average 5 mV and 11 Hz with and without QX314, respectively). This interaction between successive plateaus (warm-up) occurred when tested with 3- to 6-s intervals; no interaction occurred at times >20 s. Plateaus initiated by synaptic activation from muscle stretch were also facilitated by repetition. Repeated slow muscle stretches that produced small phasic responses when a cell was hyperpolarized with intracellular current bias produced a larger and more prolonged responses (plateau) when the bias was removed, and the amplitude and duration of this response grew with repetition. The effects of warm-up seen with intracellular recordings during muscle stretch could also be recorded extracellularly with gross electromyographic (EMG) recordings. That is, the same repetitive stretch as above produced a progressively larger and more prolonged EMG response. Warm-up may be a functionally important form of short-term plasticity in motoneurons that secures efficient motor output once a threshold level is reached for a significant period. Finally, the finding that warm-up can be readily observed with gross EMG recordings will be useful in future studies of plateaus in awake animals and humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

On the mechanism of the post-activation depression of the H-reflex in human subjects.

It was demonstrated that the soleus H-reflex was depressed for more than 10 s following a preceding passive dorsiflexion of the ankle joint. This depression was caused by activation of large-diameter afferents with receptors located in the leg muscles, as an ischaemic block of large-diameter fibres just below the knee joint abolished the depression, whereas a similar block just proximal to the ankle joint was ineffective. The depression of the H-reflex was not caused by changes in motoneuronal excitability, as motor-evoked potentials by magnetic brain stimulation were not depressed by the same passive dorsiflexion. Therefore it was concluded that the long-lasting depression is due to mechanisms acting at presynaptic level. The transmission of the monosynaptic Ia excitation from the femoral nerve to soleus motoneurones was not depressed by the ankle dorsiflexion. The depression thus seems to be confined to those afferents that were activated by the conditioning dorsiflexion. In parallel experiments on decerebrate cats, more invasive methods have complemented the indirect techniques used in the experiments on human subjects. A similar long-lasting depression of triceps surae monosynaptic reflexes was evoked by a preceding conditioning stimulation of the triceps surae Ia afferents. This depression was accompanied by a reduction of the monosynaptic Ia excitatory postsynaptic potential recorded intracellularly in triceps surae motoneurones, but not by changes in the input resistance or membrane potential in the motoneurones. Stimulation of separate branches within the triceps surae nerve demonstrated that the depression is confined to those afferents that were activated by the conditioning stimulus. This long-lasting depression was not accompanied by a dorsal root potential. It is concluded that the long-lasting depression is probably caused by a presynaptic effect, but different from the "classical" GABAergic presynaptic inhibition which is widely distributed among afferent fibres and accompanied by dorsal root potentials. It is more probably related to the phenomenon of a reduced transmitter release from previously activated fibres, i.e. a homosynaptic post-activation depression. The consequences of this post-activation depression for the interpretation of results on spinal mechanisms during voluntary movements in man are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Central control of reciprocal inhibition during fictive dorsiflexion in man.

The size of the soleus Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) was measured in six healthy human subjects before and after transmission in the common peroneal nerve (CPN) was blocked reversibly by local injection of lidocaine. It was found that the H-reflex at rest increased after the block. When the subjects attempted to perform a dorsiflexion while the CPN was blocked ("fictive dorsi flexion"), the soleus H-reflex was strongly depressed. Stimulation of the CPN proximal to the block elicited a short-latency inhibition of the soleus H-reflex, which was probably mediated by reciprocal Ia interneurones. This inhibition never increased during dorsiflexion relative to rest prior to the CPN block, but after the block a significant increase in inhibition was seen during fictive dorsiflexion in three subjects. Stimulation of the femoral nerve (FN) elicited a short-latency monosynaptic Ia facilitation of the soleus H-reflex. This facilitation was found to decrease during dorsiflexion relative to rest before the block as well as during fictive dorsiflexion after the block. The decrease in the H-reflex during fictive dorsiflexion demonstrates that although an increased Ia-afferent feedback via the gamma-loop may contribute to reciprocal inhibition when transmission in the CPN is intact, a noticeable, centrally mediated inhibition may occur in the absence of this feedback. It is suggested that this inhibition is caused by central facilitation of interneurones mediating disynaptic Ia inhibition as well as interneurones mediating presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents.

Adult↗