The ineffectiveness of excitation of the primary endings of the muscle spindle by vibration as a respiratory stimulant in the decerebrate cat

Abstract

Small-amplitude high-frequency longitudinal vibration (for example, 100 [mu] peak to peak amplitude at 250 c/s [cycles/ sec.]) was applied to the triceps surae muscle of the decerebrate cat without producing any appreciable change in its respiration. Manual squeezing of the same muscle produced a large increase in ventilation. Vibration is a powerful stimulus for the primary endings of the muscle spindle, and so these receptors are unlikely to have any significant role of play in the reflex regulation of breathing.