title: Lamina IV-VI neurones of the second sacral segment projecting to the sixth cervical segment of the cat's spinal cord.
abstract: Cervical projections of neurones located in the second sacral segment of the spinal cord were electrophysiologically investigated in 12 adult cats under alpha-chloralose anaesthesia. Extracellular or intracellular antidromic potentials from 41 neurons following stimulation of their axons in the spinal grey matter in the C6 segment brought evidence of sacro-cervical connections. Cell bodies of the investigated neurones were found mainly in the medial part of laminae IV, V and VI. Axons of these neurones ran in lateral funiculi, mostly in their dorsal parts (dlf). Most of the axons (26) ascended bilaterally. Fibres of 15 cells ran unilaterally--on the ipsilateral (13) or the contralateral side (2). Conduction velocities of axons measured between S2 and C6 segments were in the range from 38.4 to 69.1 m/s. It is suggested that these neurones may play an important role in movement coordination between hindlimbs and forelimbs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University School of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mrówczyński
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004594:Electrophysiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*