ISSN:
1432-1106
Keywords:
Cerebellum
;
Purkyně cell
;
Climbing fibers
;
Muscle afferent fibres
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The effect of isometric contraction of the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle group was investigated on the responses of 79 cerebellar Purkyně cells (P-cells) in the decerebrate cat. Forty three percent of the P-cells tested were responsive to contraction via a pathway that acted by way of climbing fibres. The latency of these responses was long (mean 60 msec following ventral root stimulation) and variable. It was concluded that the responses were attributable to Group Ib afferent input. An excitatory action of the contraction on spindle afferent fibres was excluded because the responses were: a) evoked by submaximal contractions produced by weak single shock stimulation of the ventral root; b) negligible following isotonic contractions; and, c) augmented when a stretch was superimposed on the rising phase of the twitch. The effects of both muscle contraction and muscle vibration were studied for many of the P-cells in order to investigate the convergence from afferents of both spindle and tendon organ origin. Few P-cells had evidence of a convergent input from Group Ia, II, and Ib fibres. In contrast convergence from Group II and Group Ib input was quite common. With some cells, there appeared to be an input from only Group Ib or Group II fibres.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00233377
