Summary
-
1.
Local tetanus in the right hind leg of the cat was caused by injecting tetanus toxin subcutaneously at the right triceps surae muscle. The left side, which showed no pathological symptoms, was used as control.
-
2.
The muscles of both sides were stretched linearly at a very slow rate (0.02 to 0.2 mm/sec). We compared the electrical mass activity of the bundle from dorsal roots L7 and S1 in response to muscle stretch of the control and the pathological side.
-
3.
Both before and during the linear stretching the afferent activity was stronger on the intoxicated than on the control side.
-
4.
It is concluded that during local tetanus the rough pathological augmentation of the basis in the gamma system was about 10 mm or more, and that the change of the gamma bias in the intoxicated preparation is beyond the physiological range.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrew, B. L., Barr, M. N.: Anaesthesia and local tetanus intoxication. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 141, 40–41 P (1958).
Brooks, V. B., Curtis, D. R., Eccles, J. C.: The action of tetanus toxin on the inhibition of motoneurones. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 135, 655–672 (1957).
Eccles, J. C., Eccles, R. M., Iggo, A., Lundberg, A.: Electrophysiological studies on gamma motoneurones. Acta physiol. scand. 50, 32–40 (1960).
Eldred, E., Bridgman, C. F., Kano, M., Sasaki, Y., Yellin, H.: Changes in muscle spindle morphology and discharge with alterations in muscle status. In: Neurophysiological basis of normal and abnormal motor activities, pp. 35–60. Ed. M. D. Yahr and D. P. Purpura. New York, Hewlett: Raven Press 1967.
Eldred, E., Granit, R., Merton, P. A.: Supraspinal control of the muscle spindles and its significance. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 122, 498–523 (1953).
Erzina, G. A.: Effects of the gamma-neurone system on the electrical activity of muscle spindles during local tetanus in the cat. Sechenow physiol. J. U.S.S.R. 47 (8), 30–33 (1961).
Kano, M., Sakurai, N., Takano, K.: Gamma activity of rigid cat in tetanus intoxication. J. Chiba med. Soc. 43, 388–389 (1967).
Kano, M., Takano, K.: Gamma activity of rigid cat caused by tetanus toxin. Jap. J. Physiol. 19, 1–10 (1969).
Matthews, P. B. C.: Muscle spindles and their motor control. Physiol. Rev. 44, 219–288 (1964).
Rushworth, G.: Spasticity and rigidity: An experimental study and review. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. 23, 99–118 (1960).
Takano, Henatsch, H.-D.: Direkte Aufnahme von Längen-Reflexspannungs-Diagrammen einzelner Muskeln in situ. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol. 281, 105 (1964).
Takano, K., Henatsch, H.-D.: The effect of the rate of stretch upon the development of active reflex tension in hind limb muscles of the decerebrate cat. Exp. Brain Res. 12, 422–434 (1971).
Takano, K., Henatsch, H.-D.: Tension-extension diagram of the tetanus-intoxicated muscle of the cat. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 276, 421–436 (1973).
Takano, K., Kano, M.: Reflex activity of the muscle in tetanus intoxication. J. Physiol. Soc. Japan 30, 122–123 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The greater part of this study was performed at the Department of Physiology, Chiba University.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takano, K., Kano, M. Gamma-bias of the muscle poisoned by tetanus toxin. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 276, 413–420 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00499894
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00499894