Functionally complex muscles of the cat hindlimb

The biceps femoris (BF) muscle is divided into three neuromuscular compartments defined by the innervation patterns of the main nerve branches (English and Weeks 1987). The goals of this study were i) to determine how different regions of the biceps femoris muscle are activated in the intact cat during a broad range of limb movements evoked by perturbations of stance posture, and ii) to determine the relationship between the anatomical compartments of biceps femoris and the functional units as defined in this task. Cats were trained to stand on a moveable platform with each paw on a triaxial force plate. The animal's stance was perturbed by linear translation of the platform in each of sixteen different directions in the horizontal plane. EMG activity was recorded from eight sites across the width of the left biceps femoris muscle. During quiet stance only the anterior compartment was tonically active, presumably contributing to hip extensor torque in the maintenance of stance. During platform translation, evoked EMG activity was recorded from each electrode pair for a wide range of directions of perturbation; as direction changed progressively, the amplitude of evoked activity from any electrode pair increased to a maximum and then decreased. When the EMG amplitude was plotted in polar coordinates as a function of translation direction, the region of response formed a petal shaped area in the horizontal plane, termed the EMG tuning curve. The compartments of the BF muscle were not activated homogeneously. The tuning curve of the anterior BF compartment was similar to that of other hip extensors, and coincided with the region of postero-lateral force production by the hindlimb against the support. The tuning curve of the middle BF compartment was shifted in a counterclockwise direction from that of the anterior compartment, but overlapped extensively with it; the middle BF tuning curve was similar to that of anterior gracilis. The tuning curve of the posterior biceps compartment was rotated further counterclockwise and overlapped very little with that of the middle BF compartment. The posterior BF was activated in a pattern similar to that of other knee flexors. The functional units of BF activation were not identical with the neuromuscular compartments defined by the main nerve branches. As direction of the perturbation changed, the region of BF that was activated moved progressively across the muscle. This progression of the active region was continuous across BFa and BFm, whereas there was a jump, or discontinuity at the border between BFm and BFp.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Task-related differences in distribution of electromyographic activity within peroneus longus muscle of spontaneously moving cats

Summary In the hindlimb muscle peroneus longus (PerL) of cats, electromyographic activity (EMG) was recorded from anterior and posterior regions during voluntary motor behaviour. In spite of the fact that this muscle is composed of units that all exert their forces in the same direction, the intra-muscular EMG distribution differed in a marked and reproducible way between different types of motor behaviour. Anterior as well as posterior regions were both strongly active in relation to the swing-phase of stepping. In comparison to this stepping-activity, there was a marked predominance of posterior PerL activity during hindlimb standing (or take-off for a jump) and an equally pronounced predominance of anterior PerL activity when the cat was preparing to land from being lifted (or at the end of a jump). It is suggested that these task-associated differences in EMG distribution reflect topographical aspects of the intraspinal organization of motor tasks.     

Prejunctional inhibition of sympathetically evoked pupillary dilation in cats by activation of histamine H3 receptors

Summary Frequency-dependent pupillary dilations were evoked by electrical stimulation of the pre- or post-ganglionic cervical sympathetic nerve (sympatho-excitation) or the hypothalamus (parasympatho-inhibition) in sympathectomized anesthetized cats. Systemic administration of the selective histamine H₃ receptor agonist (R)--methylhistamine (RMeHA) produced a dose-dependent depression of mydriasis due to direct neural sympathetic activation but had no effect on responses elicited by parasympathetic withdrawal. The histamine H₂ receptor agonist, dimaprit, was inactive. RMeHA was much more effective in depressing sympathetic responses obtained at lower frequencies when compared to higher frequencies of stimulation.Responses evoked both pre- and postganglionically were inhibited by RMeHA. This peripheral sympathoinhibitory action of RMeHA was antagonized by the histamine H₃ receptor blocker thioperamide but not by intravenous pretreatment with the histamine H₁ receptor antagonist chlorpheniramine. Histamine H₂ receptor blockers cimetidine and ranitidine were also without effect. RMeHA did not depress pupillary responses elicited by i.v. (-)-adrenaline.The results demonstrate that histamine H₃ receptors modulate sympathetic activation of the iris at a site proximal to the iris dilator muscle. The predominant mechanism of action appears to the prejunctional inhibition of noradrenaline release from postganglionic sympathetic nerve endings. However, a concomitant ganglionic inhibitory action cannot be excluded. Correspondence to M. C. Koss at the above address     

Single neurons are differently involved in stimulus-specific oscillations in cat visual cortex

Synchronised oscillatory population events (35–80 Hz; 60–300 ms) can be induced in the visual cortex of cats by specific visual stimulation. The oscillatory events are most prominent in local slow wave field potentials (LFP) and multiple unit spikes (MUA). We investigated how and when single cortical neurons are involved in such oscillatory population events. Simultaneous recordings of single cell spikes, LFP and MUA were made with up to seven microelectrodes. Three states of single cell participation in oscillations were distinguished in spike triggered averages of LFP or MUA from the same electrode: (1) Rhythmic states were characterised by the presence of rhythmicity in single cell spike patterns (35–80 Hz). These rhythms were correlated with LFP and MUA oscillations. (2) Lock-in states lacked rhythmic components in single cell spike patterns, while spikes were phase-coupled with LFP or MUA oscillations. (3) During non-participation states LFP or MUA oscillations were present, but single cell spike trains were neither rhythmic nor phase coupled to these oscillations. Stimulus manipulations (from optimal to suboptimal for the generation of oscillations) often led to systematic transitions between these states (from rhythmic to lock-in to non-participation). Single cell spike coupling was generally associated with negative peaks in LFP oscillations, irrespective of the cortical separation of single cell and population signals (0–6 mm). Our results suggest that oscillatory cortical population activities are not only supported by local and distant neurons with rhythmic spike patterns, but also by those with irregular patterns in which some spikes occur phase-locked to oscillatory events.     

GABA-containing neuronal processes in normal and cortically deafferented dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat: an immunogold and quantitative EM study

Summary The qualitative and quantitative synaptology of flat synaptic vesicle containing F type terminals was analysed in normal and in chronically cortically deafferented dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (dLGN) of the cat using an electron microscopic immunogold technique for visualization of GABA. A direct correlation was found between the density (number of gold particles) of GABA immunostaining and the number of synaptic vesicles in different F terminals. This suggested a quantitative relationship between transmitter content and the number of vesicles in the labeled terminals. Not only the number but also the size of synaptic vesicles was found to be different in the two main groups of F profiles, i.e. the axonal F1 and dendritic F2 terminals. Measurement of the size of synaptic vesicles in F1 axon terminals revealed two subpopulations of these endings: F1₁ and F1₂ terminals with vesicle diameters of 31.56 ± 0.08 nm and 33.73 ± 0.12 nm (P < 0.01; Chi² test) respectively. The size of synaptic vesicles in axonal F1₂ terminals was identical to that found in F2 dendritic profiles, suggesting that both processes belonged to the same, intrageniculate (interneuronal) cell population. F1₁ terminals, however, appeared to be axonal endings of extrageniculate (most probably of perigeniculate) neurons. Quantitative analysis of the two types of GABAergic axon terminals revealed the geniculocortical relay cells to be the main postsynaptic targets for F1₁ (extrageniculate) terminals while F1₂ axons terminated equally on both interneurons and relay cells. Following chronic decortication of the dLGN, the distribution pattern of both GABAergic axonal types had changed considerably. As a result of a severe loss in relay cells, more F1₁ and F1₂ axon terminals were found on GABA-containing interneuronal processes than on relay cells. An increase in the number of F1 axonal terminals per neuron was also revealed, (particularly on GABAergic interneurons), suggesting a compensatory reactive synaptogenesis by both F axonal types following decortication.     

Vasoconstrictor and pilomotor fibres in skin nerves to the cat's tail

Summary Postganglionic neurones to the tail's skin of the cat were investigated with regard to their spontaneous activity, response characteristics to somatic stimuli and asphyxia, the conduction velocity of their axons, and the conduction velocity of the preganglionic axons converging on them. The cats were anaesthetized with chloralose, immobilized, and arteficially ventilated. With this regimen the postganglionic neurones were divided into two types: 1. Type 1 neurones are spontaneously active and exhibit reflexes upon somatic stimulation. During asphyxia they are mostly first depressed and then excited for about 2–3 min. Their axons conduct with 0.57±0.13 m/s (mean ± SD). The preganglionic axons converging on them conduct with 5.4±1.6 m/s. 2. Type 2 neurones are not spontaneously active and exhibit with few exceptions no reflexes on somatic stimuli. During asphyxia they are activated after 3–4 min, concomitantly with piloerection, when the activity in type 1 neurones is already decreasing. Their axons conduct with 0.84±0.14 m/s, the preganglionic axons converging on them conduct with 9.9±2.9 m/s. 3. From these characteristics it is concluded that type 1 neurones have vasomotor function and most type 2 neurones pilomotor function.     

Spatial encoding properties of subnucleus reticularis dorsalis neurons in the rat medulla

Denervation of the synergists of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle in the cat hind leg results in a progressive increase in the magnitude of burst activity in the MG muscle during walking. The increase in burst magnitude is associated with an increase in the slope of the relationship between the magnitude of individual MG bursts and the amplitude of ankle flexion during stance. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that the increase in MG burst magnitude is due to an increase in gain of reflex pathways reinforcing the activation of MG. The increase in slope is use-dependent since it was not observed when the leg was released from a cast that immobilized the leg for 6 days.     

EXPERIMENTAL SPINAL CORD TRAUMATIC INJURY OF THE CAT TREATED WITH ELECTRO-ACUPUNCTURE

44 cats were used in this experiment. The spinal cords of 40 animals were injuredat about L_1 level by using Allen's method (400g/cm) and randomly divided into 2 groups: A)electro-acupuncture treatment group (n=20) and B) control group(n=20). 2 weeks after spinalcord injury, 80% of animals in the treatment group were survival and 45% of animals in the con-trol group were survival. There was significant difference between these two groups (p<0. 05).The motor evoked potential was recorded two weeks after spinal cord injury. The latency of theshort latency peak was 15. 61±4. 98 mS and the amplitude was 10. 61 0. 59 mV in the treatmentgroup; and 21. 7±5. 02 mS and 0. 56±0. 32 mV in the control group. Both latency and amplitudewere significant different between the two groups (P<0. 05, P<0. 05). The Anti-NF-H (neuro-filament) was determined at 2 and 4 weeks respectively after spinal cord injury. The more NF-Hpositive labeling fibers were found in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0. 01 ).The     

Influence of spinal cord compression on the C3–C4 propriospinal neurons in cats

The C3-C4 propriospinal neurons (PNs) transmit motor signals to forelimb motoneurons. Stem axons of the PNs bifurcate in the same segments and send ascending axons to the lateral reticular nucleus (LRN) as well as descending axons to the cervical motor nucleus. After laminectomy of decerebrated cats, ascending axons were stimulated by tungsten electrodes placed in the LRN. The N1 descending incoming volleys via axon reflexes with a latency of approximately 1.5 ms (N1 potential) were recorded in the forelimb motoneuron pools at C8 segment. We compressed the spinal cord at C3 or C6 segment by 6 x 5 mm plastic material and analyzed amplitudes of the N1 potentials at C8 motoneuron pools. After spinal compression step by step until 3000 microm from the surface for 30 min at the C3 segment, the amplitude of N1 potentials decreased to approximately 39.7% of the control. On the other hand, the amplitude of N1 potentials changed little after the same compression of the C6 segment. The N1 potentials during compression of the C3 segment did not recover to the initial amplitude of 63.5% after decompression. It is concluded that activities of axons at C3 segment are more sensitive than those at C6 to compression of the spinal cord. We discuss the properties of the bifurcation of the stem axons and the central spinal cord injury.     

神经根慢性嵌压损伤的动物模型建立

目的：建立一种由自身骨性增生造成神经根慢性嵌压损伤的动物模型，为相关实验提供造模方法一方法：30只健康家猫，手术显露右侧C7、C8和L5、L6冲经根及其椎问孔内口，用牙髓钻破坏椎间孔周围骨皮质后，将“V”形松质骨块沿骨壁嵌于神经根通道的骨性管道内及侧隐窝后方，左侧做正常对照。在造模术前和术后第2、4、8、12、24周行磁刺激运动诱发电位(MEP)检测，每次随机选6只，4～5只行影像学检查，以确定神经根通道的狭窄程度和神经根受压状态，6只均做病理组织学检查和椎间孔截面积测量。结果：术后早期实验侧肢体出现行为异常：而后有不同程度肌萎缩；后期部分肢体远端出现溃疡。影像学检查随着嵌压时间延长．实验侧椎间孔骨痂增多，狭窄加重。神经根受压变形，椎间孔骨性截面积8周后明显减小，与对照侧比较有显著性差异。术后2周，神经根组织学检查主要表现为神经束膜、内膜的水肿。髓鞘肿胀；4周后发生节段性脱髓鞘：8周时神经轴突增粗、断裂，远端瓦勒氏变性；12周后变性冲经结构崩解、吸收，形成空洞：24周时整个神经干纤维化。术后4周时实验侧MEP开始出现潜伏期延长；8周时伴有波形分化不清；12周波幅明显下降：24周MEP的引出困难，部分电位消失。结论：采用椎问孔内自体松质骨植入，造成神经根慢性嵌压性损伤模型成功率高，操作简单，适用于脊柱各个节段，其损伤部位和形式与临床更为接近。