The action of knee joint afferents and the concomitant influence of cutaneous (sural) afferents on the discharge of triceps surae γ-motoneurones in the cat

Abstract

Electrical stimulation of group II joint afferents of the posterior articular nerve (PAN) to the knee evoked short-latency facilitation and/or inhibition of the background discharge of gastrocnemius-soleus (GS) γ-motoneurones in decerebrated spinal cats. The latencies of these responses were consistent with mediation via segmental oligosynaptic spinal pathways. In addition, a longer-latency facilitation was frequently observed. Mechanical non-noxious stimulation of the skin within the field of innervation of the sural nerve, on the lateral aspect of the heel, suppressed the short-latency facilitation, but not the inhibition or long-latency facilitation. Brief mechanical indentation of the posterior aspect of the knee joint capsule could elicit facilitation or inhibition of γ-motoneurones. Facilitation, but not inhibition, was blocked by anaesthesia or section of the PAN. Both actions could be suppressed by mechanical stimulation of the heel. We conclude that GS γ-motoneurones receive both facilitatory and inhibitory segmental inputs from group II articular afferents arising in the knee joint. Cutaneous afferents from the sural field exert a selective inhibitory influence over the facilitation of fusimotor discharge by articular afferents.