Modulation of vastus medialis motoneuronal excitability by sciatic nerve afferents
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Updated: Oct 29, 2026

Electrophysiological Motor Unit Number Estimation (MUNE) Measuring Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP) in Mouse Hindlimb Muscles
Published on: September 25, 2015
J Valls-Solé1, M Hallett, J Brasil-Neto
1Department de Medicina, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
We activated the sciatic nerve afferents by either the discharge of a magnetic coil or a needle inserted near the nerve. Both types of stimulation induced facilitation of the vastus medialis (VM) H reflex, and of the VM response to transcranial magnetic stimulation, at the joint time of arrival of conditioning and test volleys, while a subsequent inhibition was induced only in the H reflex. We conclude that sciatic nerve afferents induce reciprocal inhibition of VM motoneurons presynaptically on the la afferent terminals.
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