Ascending long spinal actions on forelimb motoneurons in the acute spinal cat.

Ascending long spinal reflex system were investigated by means of monosynaptic reflex testing in the acutely spinalized unanesthetized cat. 1. Hindlimb nerve stimulation gave bilateral facilitatory effects on the motoneuron pools of pectoralis major and physiological flexors of the forelimb such as biceps brachii, extensor carpi radialis, extensor digitorum communis, but elicited depressive effects on the physiological extensors such as triceps brachii, flexor carpi radialis, flexor digitorum profundus. 2. In the latissimus dorsi, which is the antagonist of pectoralis major, a depressive effect was elicited by the stimulation of ipsilateral hindlimb nerves, and a facilitatory effect by contralateral stimulation. 3. These effects were evoked mainly from group II afferent fibers in muscle as well as cutaneous nerves. 4. Intracellular recordings from motoneurons of extensor carpi radialis revealed EPSPs following stimulation of hindlimb nerves with time courses corresponding to those of the facilitatory effects. We failed to detect any potential changes in the motoneurons of flexor carpi radialis following stimulation of hindlimb nerves.