The absence of position response in spindle afferent units from human finger muscles during accurate position holding

1. Single unit activity of muscle spindle afferents from finger extensor muscles was recorded in the radial nerve of waking human subjects. The mean discharge rate of the afferent units was determined while the receptor related finger was held at fixed angular positions of the metacarpo-phalangeal joint. 2. During a visual tracking task the subjects had to maintain specified angular positions against a load of constant torque which opposed finger extension. For each unit a comparison was made between the mean discharge rates at two angular positions which differed by 20 deg. Under such isotonic conditions the rates of afferent discharge at the two joint positions did not significantly differ, neither for the whole sample of primary, nor for that of secondary units. This was true, no matter whether the load was small or intermediate. Large loads were not tested. 3. For comparison, the passive position responses of a sample of spindle afferent units from the same muscles were studied when the finger was held in fixed positions while the muscles were voluntarily relaxed. Under these conditions a significant position sensitivity was found for both primary and secondary afferents. The mean values were 0.28 impulses/sec. deg (primaries), and 0.21 impulses/sec. deg (secondaries). 4. The absence of position response during active position holding was interpreted as a manifestation of changes in fusimotor outflow which depended on joint position and were large enough to compensate for changes in muscle length.