Modulation of vastus medialis motoneuronal excitability by sciatic nerve afferents.
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.
Valls-Solé
J
J
Department de Medicina, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Hallett
M
M
Brasil-Neto
J
J
D000328:Adult; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000294:innervation; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*