SOURCES OF INNERVATION OF THE NEUROMUSCULAR SPINDLES IN STERNOMASTOID AND TRAPEZIUS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 134  (MAY) , 471-490
Abstract
Degeneration experiments were used in rats and mice to determine the sources of muscle spindle innervation. Experiments included unilateral section of the spinal accessory nerve (X1) or of the cervical nerve connections to X1. X1 is motor to both extrafusal and intrafusal muscle fibers. Cervical ventral rami are sensory to the spindles of sternomastoid, cleidotrapezius and acromiotrapezius; thoracic dorsal rami are sensory to those of spinotrapezius. The distal position of the union of motor and sensory fibers to spindles makes selective motor or sensory denervation a relatively simple surgical procedure.