Bovine spastic paralysis: results of surgical desafferentation of the gastrocnemius muscle by means of spinal dorsal root resection.
A dorsal laminectomy of L-4, L-5, and L-6, followed by resection of the dorsal (afferent) roots of the gastrocnemius muscle (desafferentation) was performed on 3 calves which had spastic paralysis. All signs of the condition disappeared after desafferentation. This suggests an overactive stretch reflex to be the cause of the spastic paralysis.
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000601:surgery*