The contraction times (CTs) of functionally isolated motor units (MUs) in the soleus (SOL) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles were determined in cats that had been spinalized at ages 2 (n = 15) or 12 (n = 9) wk and then either subjected to exercise on a treadmill or simply given manipulative care of the hindlimbs. The MUs were tested approximately 12 wk after the low-thoracic cordotomy, and comparisons were made with data from control animals. The CT of 50.9 ms obtained for SOL units (n = 163) in the spinal cats was 22% shorter than the mean of 65.0 ms for MUs (n = 57) from control cats (n = 4). Contrary to expectation, the CT in animals spinalized at 12 wk was significantly shorter than that in the 2-wk group. The CT for MG units (n = 105) in spinal cats was also significantly shorter (11%) than that in controls cats (n = 66, 6 cats), and those units identified by their high fatigue index as being of slow or fatigue-resistant type had a shorter CT than units with a low index. No distinction in CT of exercised and nonexercised groups was detected for either muscle. These findings are discussed in relation to the bearing influences of supraspinal and segmental origin have on CT duration in SOL and MG muscles during growth of the kitten. A slight, significant decrease (6%) in the fatigue index of SOL MUs (n = 144) was detected, but the values remained high (mean 0.87).

The aftereffects of antidromic stimulation at 500 or 600 Hz on the discharge of isolated spindle Ia and II, and tendon organ Ib afferent fibers from the cat medial gastrocnemius muscle were examined to see what proprioceptive disturbances to expect when such ''high-frequency,'' tension-attenuating stimulation is used to modulate contractions in orthotic applications. Three phases of poststimulation depression in spindle discharge were recognized: a complete pause in firing, a rapidly accelerating return of discharge, and a final more gradual approach to the control rate. When steady prestimulation discharge rates of Ia and II endings were equated through adjustment of muscle length, no obvious difference in effect on duration of the pause or position sensitivity was detected. Sensitivity to dynamic change in muscle length was also depressed, but responses returned earlier than when the muscle was held at a steady length. The dynamic responses of tendon organs were similarly depressed.

The twitch contraction time (CT) for each of 13 soleus (SOL) and 13 medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles was compared with the mean CT from a sample of its motor units (MUs; 356 total) to see if the CT of a whole muscle when tested at its optimal length (Lo) differed systematically from that of its MUs tested at their individual Lo's. The CTs of the whole muscle were significantly longer in the ratio of 1.13. This is consistent with a hypothesis that electrical-field effects result in a more protracted contraction of the individual muscle fiber.

The effects of indirect stimulation at 500-1,000 Hz on force production by the cat's slow-fibered soleus and mixed-fiber medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles were compared for their relevance to the use of such "high-frequency" stimulation to modulate spasticity or the induced contraction of a centrally paralyzed muscle. Severe loss in force was seen in both muscles, and slow (S) motor units (MUs) within the MG showed about the same susceptibility as fast (FF) units. Both muscles and isolated fast and slow MUs within the MG exhibited an initial spike of tension and throughout stimulation a low level of residual tension. Despite the minimal output of work, a contribution to fatigue could be detected in the poststimulation period, as well as a delayed facilitative effect. Possible mechanisms are discussed.

The variability among single muscle fiber enzymatic activities and fiber size within a motor unit was studied in the cat tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. Fourteen units were isolated for physiological testing using standard ventral root filament stimulation techniques, and the muscle fibers of these units were identified by glycogen depletion. The cross-sectional areas, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and alpha-glycerolphosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) activities, and the relative alkaline myofibrillar adenosine triphosphate staining densities of a sample of glycogen-depleted and -nondepleted muscle fibers were determined using quantitative histochemical techniques. Each of the unit types previously identified to be present in the TA, based on physiological criteria, were represented by the sample population. The variability among the fibers of a unit was significantly more than the variability among repeated measures on a single fiber for cross-sectional area and SDH and GPD activities. The mean coefficients of variation for SDH and GPD activity within motor unit fibers were 29 and 56%, respectively, whereas the variability between fibers of different units within a muscle was significantly greater (53 and 69%, respectively). Additionally, the mean coefficient of variation for cross-sectional area among motor unit fibers was less than that among fibers not depleted of glycogen (25 vs. 46%). These data suggest that although there is clear evidence for some level of neural control of the properties of a muscle unit (variation within a unit was less than the variation across units), this control is not complete, since the variability among fibers of a single unit was significantly more than the variability found between repeated measurements on a single fiber.

Previously the application of stimuli of 600 Hz at adjustable strength applied to a muscle's nerve has been proposed as a means of reducing the muscle's contraction in spastic conditions, or when combined with a second tetanic stimulation, of limiting contraction to smaller, physiologically more relevant motor units in the paralyzed state. The side-effects on muscle spindles of such stimuli as seen in the cat's gastrocnemius are reported. During stimulation axonal impulses followed faithfully for periods running into minutes. After stimulation, a pause in ongoing firing with a duration dependent on stimulus-train length and a two-phased recovery occurred. Responses to dynamic stretch of the muscle were affected as well. The contractions of intrafusal fibers activated in several ways was seen to strongly offset the depression. In a clinical application, nevertheless, short-lived depression of all proprioceptive modalities following stimulation should be expected, with corresponding disturbance on sensory perception and reflex effects.

In 11 tibialis anterior muscles of the cat, a single motor unit was characterized physiologically and subsequently depleted of its glycogen through repetitive stimulation of an isolated ventral root filament. Muscle cross sections were stained for glycogen using a periodic acid-Schiff reaction, and single-fiber optical densities were determined to identify those fibers belonging to the stimulated motor unit. Innervation ratios were determined by counting the total number of muscle fibers in a motor unit in sections taken through several levels of the muscle. The average innervation ratios for the fast, fatigueable (FF) and fast, fatigue-resistant (FR) units were similar. However, the slow units (S) contained 61% fewer fibers than the fast units (FF and FR). Muscle fibers belonging to S and FR units were similar in cross-sectional area, whereas fibers belonging to FF units were significantly larger than fibers belonging to either S or FR units. Additionally, muscle fibers innervated by a single motoneuron varied by two- to eightfold in cross-sectional area. Specific tensions, based on total cross-sectional area determined by summing the areas of all muscle fibers of each unit, showed a modest difference between fast and slow units, the means being 23.5 and 17.2 N X cm-2, respectively. Variations in maximum tension among units could be explained principally by innervation ratio, although fiber cross-sectional area and specific tension did contribute to differences between unit types.

The effects of nicotine on the stretch reflex and on electrically induced monosynaptic and cutaneous polysynaptic reflex responses at a lumbosacral level were studied in lightly anesthetized (chloralose‐urethane) cats in which the regional fusimotor‐spindle loops had been interrupted by ventral rhizotomy. Doses of 15–40 μg/kg injected into the superior vena cava or the right atrium produced depression of the reflex responses in extensor and flexor α motoneurons after latent periods of 1–3 sec, while γ activity was initially accelerated. The early phase of this α depression was abolished by bilateral vagotomy. Sebacylcholine (a nicotinic agent) and acetylcholine also caused depression of evoked α activity in the absence of spindle feedback. It is concluded that nicotine activates a viscerosomatic reflex by exciting sensory receptors in the cardiopulmonary region and that α motor depression results independent of the changes in γ activity. However, α depression with delayed onset can still be elicited by nicotine after vagotomy and Renshaw blockade, and this effect is also duplicated by sebacylcholine and aboilshed by hexamethonium. In the doses used, spindle or skin afferents were not excited by nicotine. Thus, two more mechanisms are described by which nicotine can depress α activity. Both are reflex in nature, one implicating vagal, the other nonvagal peripheral receptors.