OBJECTIVE: To study influence of 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration on muscle spindle afferents discharges of rat soleus muscles in simulated-weightlessness situation. METHOD: The tail-suspended rat model was used to simulate weightlessness, and 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration was performed by a vibrator. Unit activity was recorded electrophysiologically from the centrally cut filaments of the spinal dorsal roots innervating muscle spindles of the rat soleus muscle; then observation on the changes in afferent discharges from muscle spindle in a rat soleus muscles were made after 7 d. RESULT: 1) Compared with control muscle spindle afferents discharges of rat soleus muscles decreased after 7 d tail-suspension (P<0.05). 2) Compared with suspension the afferent discharges from soleus muscle spindles increased after 7 d tail-suspension with 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration. CONCLUSION: Sinusoidal vibration (100 Hz; 300 micrometers) can selectively activate muscle spindles. Muscle spindle afferent input of the suspended rats increased after the application of 7 d 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration.
OBJECTIVE: To study influence of 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration on muscle spindle afferents discharges of rat soleus muscles in simulated-weightlessness situation. METHOD: The tail-suspended rat model was used to simulate weightlessness, and 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration was performed by a vibrator. Unit activity was recorded electrophysiologically from the centrally cut filaments of the spinal dorsal roots innervating muscle spindles of the rat soleus muscle; then observation on the changes in afferent discharges from muscle spindle in a rat soleus muscles were made after 7 d. RESULT: 1) Compared with control muscle spindle afferents discharges of rat soleus muscles decreased after 7 d tail-suspension (P<0.05). 2) Compared with suspension the afferent discharges from soleus muscle spindles increased after 7 d tail-suspension with 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration. CONCLUSION: Sinusoidal vibration (100 Hz; 300 micrometers) can selectively activate muscle spindles. Muscle spindle afferent input of the suspended rats increased after the application of 7 d 100 Hz sinusoidal vibration.