[Reactions of human neck muscle-fibers to vestibular stimulation (author's transl)].

In healthy human subjects activity from single fibers of the splenius-capitis muscle was recorded by means of a microelectrode. Two types of muscle fibers could be distinguished according to their reaction on vestibular stimulation. The first type reacted only to stimuli (angular acceleration) exceeding 10 degrees per sec2. These units showed no resting activity. The second type had a resting activity between 20 to 40 impulses per second. Their reactions under vestibular stimulation resembled that of primary afferent neurones of the vestibular nerve of other vertebrates. The functional meaning of these findings is discussed.