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Mechanisms of the clasp-knife reflex studied in an animal model

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Summary

The mechanisms of the clasp-knife reflex were studied in the soleus muscle of an animal model, the decerebrate cat with a dorsal hemisection of the lower thoracic cord. The reflex is shown to be autogenetic, and to depend on muscle length in keeping with previous suggestions. However, the magnitude of the inhibition increases with increasing initial force, and the inhibition is mimicked by gentle manipulation of the muscle and tendon surface. Concurrent muscle afferent recordings showed that the electromyogram (emg) reduction was not a result of a decline in Ia afferent input and was not well related to secondary or tendon organ afferent discharge.

It is now known that many group III and some group IV muscle afferents are also activated by muscle stretch and contraction, and we here report limited stretch sensitivity in four non-spindle group II afferents. Since these fiber groups each include afferents that produce inhibition of extensor motoneurons, it is proposed that the clasp-knife reflex may result from the activation of these slowly conducting afferent fibers.

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Author notes

  1. P. E. Crago

    Present address: Applied Neural Control Laboratory, Dept. Biomedical Engineering Case, Western Reserve University, 44106, Sears Tower, Cleveland, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Physiology, John Hopkins University School of Medicine and Northwestern University Medical and Dental Schools, 303 East Chicago Avenue, 60611, Chicago, IL, USA

    W. Z. Rymer, J. C. Houk & P. E. Crago

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  1. W. Z. Rymer
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  2. J. C. Houk
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  3. P. E. Crago
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Rymer, W.Z., Houk, J.C. & Crago, P.E. Mechanisms of the clasp-knife reflex studied in an animal model. Exp Brain Res 37, 93–113 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01474257

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01474257

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