Analysis of muscle receptor connections by spike-triggered averaging. 2. Spindle group II afferents

1. The spike-triggered averaging (STA) method has been used to study synaptic connections of nine spindle group II afferents from medial gastrocnemius to 151 motoneurons of leg muscles in the cat. 2. EPSPs were found in 40 cells, predominantly of triceps surae with latency from cord entry ranging from 0.3 to 4.2 ms. Those with latency less than or equal to 1.4 ms were deduced to be monosynaptic in confirmation of Kirkwood and Sears (13). Mean amplitude for MG-LGS cells was 30.1 muV and mean rise time 1.0 ms (compared with 65.4 muV and 1.0 ms for monosynaptic Ia EPSPs from the preceding report (26)). It is argued that monosynaptic latency for spindle group II afferents could be as large as 1.65 ms. 3. The occurrence of a presynaptic spike permitted the division of EPSP latencies into central conduction time and synaptic delay components. Sindle group II central conduction times were significantly longer than those of Ia afferents, while there were no differences in the synaptic delays associated with the two afferent types. 4. EPSPs of longer latency were judged to be di- or trisynaptic. They were smaller and had longer rise times than the monosynaptic effects. Evidence is presented to show that short rise time of an individual PSP does not guarantee that it is monosynaptic. Rise times are different only on a population basis. 5. Inhibitory responses were found with latencies and mean rise times appropriate for di- and trisynaptic connections. Their mean amplitude was 4.6 muV. 6. The distribution of EPSPs and IPSPs was generally consistent with their exerting stretch reflex effects similar to that of Ia afferents and inconsistent with the inclusion of them in the grouping known as "flexor reflex afferents."