CONDITIONING OF AFFERENT IMPULSES BY REFLEX DISCHARGES OVER THE DORSAL ROOTS

Abstract

When the action potential of the sensory impulses conducted through the saphenous nerve of the cat following a gentle tap on the skin was recorded from the side of the nerve, a deficit in the total number of impulses occurred if the train was immediately preceded by a reflex discharge through the nerve from the spinal cord. In addition, the reflex discharge into the individual fibers was repetitive; the reflex could be evoked by physiologically selected afferent impulses; and as shown by Barron and Matthews, the size of the reflex was greatly augmented when the cord was cooled. However, well defined reflexes were regularly present when the cord was at normal temp.