Effect of activation and adaptation on the sensitivity of slowly adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors.
The effect of adaptation on the sensitivity of type I and type II cutaneous mechanoreceptors was evaluated with test stimuli applied before, during and after a persistent indentation (offset) of the skin. It was found that the offset initially lowered the threshold to both high (100-200 Hz) and low (1-20 Hz) frequency sinusoidal stimuli, as compared with the preoffset condition. This lowered threshold increased for both stimuli as adaptation progressed. When adaptation was nearly complete, there was an appreciable residual reduction of threshold, as compared with preoffset values, for the low frequency stimuli but not for high frequency stimuli. For a time after the offset was removed, the threshold was increased above preoffset levels for both stimuli. Suprathreshold ramp displacements superimposed on an offset caused higher maximal frequencies and a larger change in frequency than before the offset was applied. This difference often was considerable (20-40 impulses/sec) even though the discharge produced by the offset had adapted to only 2-4 impulses/sec above the preoffset level. Shortly after removal of the offset, the ramp responses typically were less than before the offset was applied. Thus, these receptors are not "reset" to the preoffset condition by adaptation nor is their sensitivity reduced. On the contrary, they respond more vigorously to superimposed stimuli except for near threshold displacements that are brief and rapid.
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*