The mechanism of the crossing of the
i-t curves of M wave and H wave has been investigated in 85 decerebrated adult cats.
M wave and H wave were picked up from the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Antidromic ventral root impulses (AMI), dorsal root inflow (DRI) and monosynaptic reflex (MSR) were picked up from cut ends of the Si or L7 spinal root. As a rule, percutaneous stimulation was delivered to the tibial nerve.
1. The
i-t curves of M and H waves frequently crossed each other in the cat as in man.
2. No crossing of the
i-t curves of AMI and DRI was observed; the threshold of DRI was lower than that of AMI at any duration of stimulation, that is to say, the threshold of the group Ia fibers was always lower than that of the motor fibers in the tibial nerve.
3. Crossing was observed between the
i-t curves of AMI and MSR. On the basis of this result and of the theoretical consideration, the problem concerning the crossing of the
i-t curves of M wave and H wave was reasonably converted to that of the
i-t curves of AMI and MSR.
4. The crossing of the
i-t curves of AMI and MSR was found to be brought about by the following two phenomena, central and peripheral: A certain magnitude of DRI was needed to produce the threshold MSR. In this case, not the amplitude but the area of DRI was constant irrespective of the duration of stimulation.
Crossing was observed between the
i-t curve of AMI and the iso-area curve of DRI, i. e., the
i-t curve giving constant area of DRI.
5. The phenomenon stated in 4, (b) was observed in the case of percutaneous stimulation of the tibial nerve but not in the case of direct stimulation. This difference was verified not to be due to the wave form of stimulation distorted by the polarization of the skin but to the indirect stimulation through volume conductors.
View full abstract