Role of muscle spindle feedback in regulating muscle activity strength during walking at different speed in mice

Terrestrial animals increase their walking speed by increasing the activity of the extensor muscles. However, the mechanism underlying how this speed-dependent amplitude modulation is achieved remains obscure. Previous studies have shown that group Ib afferent feedback from Golgi tendon organs that signal force is one of the major regulators of the strength of muscle activity during walking in cats and humans. In contrast, the contribution of group Ia/II afferent feedback from muscle spindle stretch receptors that signal angular displacement of leg joints is unclear. Some studies indicate that group II afferent feedback may be important for amplitude regulation in humans, but the role of muscle spindle feedback in regulation of muscle activity strength in quadrupedal animals is very poorly understood. To examine the role of feedback from muscle spindles, we combined in vivo electrophysiology and motion analysis with mouse genetics and gene delivery with adeno-associated virus. We provide evidence that proprioceptive sensory feedback from muscle spindles is important for the regulation of the muscle activity strength and speed-dependent amplitude modulation. Furthermore, our data suggest that feedback from the muscle spindles of the ankle extensor muscles, the triceps surae, is the main source for this mechanism. In contrast, muscle spindle feedback from the knee extensor muscles, the quadriceps femoris, has no influence on speed-dependent amplitude modulation. We provide evidence that proprioceptive feedback from ankle extensor muscles is critical for regulating muscle activity strength as gait speed increases. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Animals upregulate the activity of extensor muscles to increase their walking speed, but the mechanism behind this is not known. We show that this speed-dependent amplitude modulation requires proprioceptive sensory feedback from muscle spindles of ankle extensor muscle. In the absence of muscle spindle feedback, animals cannot walk at higher speeds as they can when muscle spindle feedback is present.