Summary
The effects of ramp stretches applied to triceps surae muscle on the discharge patterns of single Ia inhibitory interneurones, monosynaptically invaded from various nerves, were studied in either decerebrate or anesthetized cats.
Interneurones which received direct excitatory Ia input from the stretched muscle exhibited augmented activity both during the dynamic and static phase of stretch, which was, however, interrupted by a transient inhibitory influence during the dynamic phase of stretch.
The influences on Ia inhibitory interneurones, monosynaptically invaded from hamstring or tibial nerve, were exclusively inhibitory. These stretch-induced inhibitions were better demonstrable in decerebrate than in anesthetized preparations. The timing of the discharge patterns of additionally recorded Renshaw cells during stretch, and the disappearance or reduction of the above described inhibitory effects after administration of DHE, strongly support the idea that these inhibitory actions are caused by Renshaw inhibition.
In Ia inhibitory interneurones, monosynaptically activated from the antagonistic peroneal nerve, stretch induced also pronounced inhibitory effects, which were most probably caused by mutual inhibition between Ia inhibitory interneurones.
The suppression of agonistic Ia inhibitory interneurone activity below the tonic resting activity corresponded to an enhancement of the monosynaptic reflex amplitude of the antagonistic motoneurone pool.
The findings suggest that normal orthodromic activation of Renshaw cells, and consequently the recurrent inhibition of the Ia inhibitory interneurones, is predominantly linked with rapid phasic, rather than slow tonic, motoneuronal firing.
The functional role of this mechanism for the performance of rapidly alternating movements and the damping of ballistic agonist contractions is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benecke, R., Hellweg, C., Meyer-Lohmann, J.: Entladungsmuster einzeln abgeleiteter Renshaw-Zellen vor und nach Decerebrierung und unter der Wirkung des Antispastikums Lioresal®. Pflügers Arch. 332, R 84 (1972)
Benecke, R., Meyer-Lohmann, J.: Discharge patterns of single Ia inhibitory interneurones during ramp stretch of triceps surae muscle. Pflügers Arch. 339, R 74 (1973)
Benecke, R., Böttcher, U.: Recurrent facilitation of monosynaptic flexor reflex during dynamic stretch of triceps surae muscle. Pflügers Arch. 343, R 74 (1973)
Benecke, R., Hellweg, C., Meyer-Lohmann, J.: Activity and excitability of Renshaw cells in non-decerebrate and decerebrate cats. Exp. Brain Res. 21, 113–124 (1974)
Benecke, R., Henatsch, H.-D.: Some physiological aspects of inhibitory action on Ia inhibitory interneurones. Proc. Intern. Union of Physiol. Sci. 11, 457 (1974)
Corda, M., v. Euler, C., Lennerstrand, G.: Reflex and cerebellar influences on α and on “rhytmic” and “tonic” γ activity in the intercostal muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 184, 898–923 (1966)
Eccles, R.M., Lundberg, A.: Synaptic actions in motoneurones by afferents which may evoke the flexion reflex. Arch. ital. Biol. 97, 199–221 (1959)
Fedina, L., Hultborn, H.: Facilitation from ipsilateral primary afferents of interneuronal transmission in the Ia inhibitory pathway to motoneurones. Acta physiol. scand. 86, 59–81 (1972)
Granit, R.: The Basis of Motor Control. London-New York: Academic Press 1970
Hellweg, C., Meyer-Lohmann, J.: Responses of individual Renshaw cells to ramp stretch of the triceps surae muscle. Pflügers Arch. 339, R 76 (1973)
Hellweg, C., Meyer-Lohmann, J., Benecke, R., Windhorst, U.: Responses of Renshaw cells to muscle ramp stretch. Exp. Brain Res. 21, 353–360 (1974)
Hagbarth, K.-E., Vallbo, Å.B.: Discharge characteristics of human muscle afferents during muscle stretch and contraction. Exp. Neurol. 22, 674–694 (1968)
Hagbarth, K.-E., Vallbo, Å.B.: Single unit recordings from muscle nerves in human subjects. Acta physiol. scand. 76, 321–334 (1969)
Hultborn, H., Jankowska, E., Lindström, S.: Recurrent inhibition from motor axon collaterals in interneurones monosynaptically activated from Ia afferents. Brain Res. 9, 367–369 (1968)
Hultborn, H., Jankowska, E., Lindström, S., Roberts, W.: Neuronal pathway of the recurrent facilitation of motoneurones. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 218, 495–514 (1971)
Hultborn, H., Jankowska, E., Lindström, S.: Recurrent inhibition from motor axon collaterals of transmission in the Ia inhibitory pathway to motoneurones. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 215, 591–612 (1971a)
Hultborn, H., Jankowska, E., Lindström, S.: Recurrent inhibition of interneurones mono-synaptically activated from group Ia afferents. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 215, 613–636 (1971b)
Hultborn, H., Lundberg, A.: Reciprocal inhibition during the stretch reflex. Acta physiol. scand. 85, 136–138 (1972)
Hultborn, H., Udo, M.: Convergence in the reciprocal Ia inhibitory pathway of excitation from descending pathways and inhibition from motor axon collaterals. Acta physiol. scand. 84, 95–108 (1972a)
Hultborn, H., Udo, M.: Recurrent depression from motor axon collaterals of supraspinal inhibition in motoneurones. Acta physiol. scand. 85, 44–57 (1972b)
Hultborn, H.: Convergence on interneurones in the reciprocal Ia inhibitory pathway to moto-neurones. Acta physiol. scand., Suppl. 375 (1972)
Hultborn, H., Illert, M., Santini, M.: Disynaptic Ia inhibition of the interneurones mediating the reciprocal Ia inhibition of motoneurones. Acta physiol. scand. 91, D 14 (1974)
Renshaw, B.: Influence of discharge of motoneurons upon excitation of neighboring motoneurons. J. Neurophysiol. 4, 167–183 (1941)
Severin, F.V., Orlovsky, G.N., Shik, M.L.: Work of the muscle receptors during controlled locomotion. Biophysics 12, 575–586 (1967)
Steg, G.: Efferent muscle control in rigidity. In: “Muscular Afferents and Motor Control”. Nobel Symposium I. Ed. by R. Granit, p. 437–443. Stockholm: Almquist and Wiksell 1966
Vallbo, Å. B.: Muscle spindle response at the onset of isometric voluntary contractions in man. Time difference between fusimotor and skeletomotor effects. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 218, 405–431 (1971)
Wilson, V.J.: Recurrent facilitation of Spinal reflexes. J. gen. Physiol. 42, 703–713 (1959)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was partly supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 33: “Nervensystem und biologische Information”, Göttingen).
Preliminary reports were given at the 41st and 42nd Meeting of the German Physiological Society (Benecke and Meyer-Lohmann, 1973; Benecke and Böttcher, 1973) and at the XXVI. Internat. Congr. of Physiol. Sciences, New Delhi (Benecke and Henatsch, 1974).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benecke, R., Böttcher, U., Henatsch, H.D. et al. Recurrent inhibition of individual Ia inhibitory interneurones and disinhibition of their target α-motoneurones during muscle stretches. Exp Brain Res 23, 13–28 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238726
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238726