Ambulatory Reflexes in Spinal Amphibians

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Abstract
The profound effect of spinal deafferentation upon the locomotory activity of amphibians (Gray & Lissmann, 1940) suggests that peripheral sense organs play an essential role in the maintenance of normal ambulatory activity. In order to test this conclusion, a preliminary study has been made of those reflex responses which can be elicited from the limbs of spinal newts, frogs and toads, by the application of peripheral stimuli similar in kind and intensity to those which arise automatically during normal progression. Unless otherwise stated, all observations were made on preparations in which the nerve cord had been severed at or about the level of the first vertebra. All operations were performed under ether, and the preparations were allowed to recover from shock. The animals employed were Triton cristatus, Rana temporaria and Bufo bufo.

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