Short latency cutaneous reflex responses of gamma-efferents in the decerebrate cat

The effect of single shock stimulation, up to 20 x threshold (T), of the sural nerve on the discharges of triceps surae gamma-efferents was investigated in decerebrate cats. Units were classified as static (12) or dynamic (7) on the basis of their resting discharge rates (Murphy et al. 1984). All neurones were excited at short latency by sural nerve stimulation and response size was graded with stimulus intensity. Short latency mixed or inhibitory responses were not evident. Although reflex effects first occurred at low stimulus strengths (less than or equal to 1.5T) in both types of efferent, most responses appeared at higher intensities (greater than 1.5T). The estimated central delays of the responses of static (3.0 +/- 1.1 ms, mean +/- SD) and dynamic (3.4 +/- 1.0 ms) gamma-motoneurones were not significantly different and are consistent with spinal oligosynaptic pathways. The present results differ from those of the only previous study (Johansson and Sojka 1985) of the short latency responses of triceps surae static and dynamic gamma-motoneurones to sural nerve stimulation, in which mixed and inhibitory effects were common in anaesthetised cats. Although differences in recording techniques and gamma sampling may account for the apparent disparity between these studies, it is also feasible that a difference in the setting of interneuronal pathways in the two types of preparation is responsible. The results are discussed in relation to the control of gamma-motoneurones with particular reference to the "final common input" hypothesis (Johansson 1981; Appelberg et al. 1983).