Lateral Asymmetry of H-Reflex Recovery Curves in Cat: Evidence for a Spinal Motor Asymmetry

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Abstract
Recovery curve of the Hoffmann reflex from the left and right sides was studied in lightly anesthetized cats before and after spinalization. According to the differences in the H-reflex recovery curves from the left and right lateral gastrocnemiussoleus nerves, 3 populations of intact animals were found: right dominant with higher recovery curve on the right side (31.8%), left dominant with higher recovery curve on the left side (36.4%), and ambilateral with no dominance (31.8%). After spinalization the dominance remained the same in the 2 first groups and dominance appeared in 5 out of the 7 cats of the last group. These results provide evidence for a bilateral asymmetry of .alpha. motoneuron excitability in cats, which can be used as a model to study the possible mechanisms of spinal motor asymmetry.

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