Functional Organization of the Dorsal Spino‐Cerebellar Tract in the Cat.

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Abstract
Summary.: Single fibre discharges provoked by stimulation of various afferent nerves were recorded in Flechsig's fasciculus with intra‐axonal micro‐electrodes. Simultaneously were recorded sensory volleys in dorsal root filaments and mass‐discharges in the dissected Flechsig's fasciculus.Neurons were identified which could be monosynaptically activated by group I muscle afferents.On the neurons excited monosynaptically by group I afferent fibres of a given muscle converge excitatory action mediated by group II fibres from the same muscle and inhibitory action mediated by group I fibres from antagonist muscles.Convergence of excitatory action from pseudo‐antagonist muscles was observed.Other neurons with ascending axons in Flechsig's fasciculus could be activated from a muscle nerve only by stimulation of high threshold afferents; the post‐synaptic discharge was in this case repetitive.Many neurons were excited from low threshold afferents in skin nerves with high frequency repetitive discharge resulting from a single stimulus to the primary afferents. Convergence of inhibitory action from skin nerves to these neurons was demonstrated.Convergence of excitation from skin nerves and from high threshold muscle afferents was common (including convergence of excitation from antagonist muscles).