Abstract
We studied the reflex actions of the cutaneous afferents innervating trunk to hindlimb motoneurons in the spinal cat using intracellular recording technique. The stimulation of the trunk cutaneous afferents entering into L2 -L5 spinal segment produced different types of PSPs in hindlimb motoneurons via polysynaptic neuronal pathways. The trunk cutaneous afferents predominantly caused EPSPs in the flexor motoneurons and IPSPs in the extensor motoneurons. The size and latency of PSPs were related to the proximity of the spinal segments of the nerves stimulated to the spinal segments of motoneurons. These findings suggest that the neuronal pathways from trunk cutaneous afferents to hindlimb motoneurons play important role to coordinate between trunk and hindlimbs.
