Convergence on Interneurones Mediating the Reciprocal Ia Inhibition of Motoneurones

Abstract

Interneurones identified as mediating the disynaptic reciprocal Ia inhibition of motoneurones (referred to as "Ia inhibitory interneurones") were recorded in the lumbar spinal cord of the cat. Volleys in ipsilateral and contralateral high threshold muscle afferents, cutaneous and high threshold joint afferents evoked a mixture of polysynaptic excitation and inhibition. These effects were ascribed to pathways activated by flexor reflex afferents (FRA) and in addition a specific ipsilateral low threshold cutaneous pathway. Ia inhibitory interneurones excited monosynaptically from flexor nerves received stronger net excitation by volleys in ipsilateral FRA than did extensor coupled interneurones, while the opposite pattern was seen from the contralateral FRA. These patterns are similar to those found in flexor and extensor motoneurones respectivey. The FRA inhibition in Ia inhibitory interneurones was partly mediated by "opposite" Ia inhibitory interneurones, i.e. those which are mediating the Ia inhibition of Ia inhibitory interneurones. The extent to which the FRA inhibition is transmitted by Ia inhibitory interneurones was roughly estimated by its susceptibility to recurrent depression by antidromic ventral root stimulation. The main conclusion is that most segmental pathways seem to evoke their effects in parallel to motoneurones and Ia inhibitory interneurones which are monosynaptically linked to the same muscle. The functional importance of this conclusion is discussed in a following report.