Projection of Afferent Fibers From Muscles and Joints to the Cerebral Cortex of the Cat

Abstract

The projection of afferent fibers from muscles and joints to the cerebral cortex was studied in a series of adult cats. In cats anesthetized with Na pentobarbital, surface positive potential changes were evoked from the contralateral somatic area I and ipsilateral and contralateral somatic area II following stimulation of various muscle, joint and cutaneous nerves. Results of selective cord sections indicate that with regard to somatic area I all these nerves have several ascending paths in the spinal cord. These findings were confirmed by recording from the spinal cord in decapitate cats. Those paths in lateral funiculi seem to be of major importance for afferents from the triceps surae because results indicate that few, if any, such afferents ascend in dorsal funiculi to the medulla oblongata. The rostral course and connections of paths other than dorsal funiculi remain to be detd.