Gravity-dependent modulation of Ia afferent in human

Recent work has shown that the H-reflex excitability of the human soleus motoneurones is modulated in reduced gravity and accompanied by a corresponding change in electromyographic (EMG) activity during space flight mission or different gravitational load. Spinal reflexes are often viewed as stereotyped motor patterns with limited scope for modification. However, recent evidence suggests that even short-latency, largely monosynaptic reflexes show a high degree of modulation during simple human motor activities such as walking and standing, and that the pattern of modulation can be specifically altered for the different functional requirements of each activity. Capady and Stein have demonstrated that H-reflex amplitude of the soleus increases progressively during the stance phase and reaches its peak amplitude late in the stance phase during walking. However, during running, the H-reflex is found to be significantly smaller than during walking, suggestion a modified spinal reflex gain for the different functional requirements of the motor behaviors. It is well documented that gravitational loads on the human body, spinal cords are much higher during standing in the water than standing in land. Little is known about the occurrence and influence of neural modulation in spinal cord during different gravitational load, which was not induced by posture but by voluntary background activity. The purpose of the present study was consequently to investigate how to effect is controlled H-reflex modulated during reduced gravity standing in a water in normal subjects.