Postural responses of forelimb extensors to somatosensory signals elicited during wrist rotation: interaction with vestibular reflexes.
The responses of the forelimb extensor triceps brachii (TB) to sinusoidal wrist rotation, at 0.156 Hz, +/-5 degrees, were investigated in decerebrate cats. In most of the tested muscles [12/15) the multiunit electromyographic (EMG) activity of the TB muscle increased during dorsiflexion and decreased during plantar flexion of the ipsilateral limb extremity, showing an average (+/-SD) gain of 1.38+/-0.64 impulses/s/ degrees and a phase lead of 33+/-19 degrees with respect to the extreme dorsiflexion of the forepaw. Both parameters remained unmodified by increasing the amplitude of stimulation from 5 degrees up to 10 degrees. Rotation of the contralateral wrist had no effect on TB activity. When the rotation of the ipsilateral wrist occurred during sinusoidal roll tilt of the whole animal, a stimulus that activates vestibular receptors, the TB response to combined stimulation closely corresponded to the vectorial sum of the individual responses. Dorsiflexion of the forepaw could drive the vestibulospinal system, which excites the ipsilateral TB motoneurons. In fact, functional inactivation of the cerebellar anterior vermis, which controls vestibulospinal neurons, significantly modified the TB response to wrist rotation. It appears, therefore, that the somatosensory signals elicited by wrist rotation utilize the spinocerebellum to modulate the activity of the TB. The TB responses to wrist rotation could play a role in stabilizing posture during stance and locomotion.
Bruschini
L
L
Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Biochimica, Università di Pisa, Via S. Zeno 31, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
Manzoni
D
D
Pompeiano
O
O
D000818:Animals; D002350:Carpus, Animal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D002415:Cats; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology; D003655:Decerebrate State; D004576:Electromyography; D005552:Forelimb / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology