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Organization of segmental input from neck muscles to the external cuneate nucleus of the cat

Experimental Brain Research volume 71, pages 557–562 (1988)Cite this article

Summary

The musculotopic organisation of projections to the external cuneate nucleus (ECN) from the neck muscles splenius (SP) and biventer cervicis (BC) was examined electrophysiologically. These muscles are divided into a number of serially arranged compartments and are supplied by nerves from different cervical segments. About one-third of ECN neurons receive input from a single nerve. The majority of ECN neurons, however, receive input from more than one nerve in each muscle. ECN neurons are also limited in their ability to follow high frequency nerve stimulation and they frequently exhibit non-linear following. The connections and characteristics of ECN neurons suggest that a minority of neurons in the nucleus have the potential for the faithful transmission of afferent signals, but the majority have the potential to transform incoming patterns of muscle receptor discharge.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Queen's University, K7L 3N6, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    V. C. Abrahams, E. D. Downey & C. G. M. Hammond

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  1. V. C. Abrahams
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  2. E. D. Downey
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  3. C. G. M. Hammond
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Abrahams, V.C., Downey, E.D. & Hammond, C.G.M. Organization of segmental input from neck muscles to the external cuneate nucleus of the cat. Exp Brain Res 71, 557–562 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248747

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248747

Key words

  • External cuneate nucleus
  • Muscle afferents
  • Neck
  • Medulla