Abstract
Afferent transmission in the spinal cord is subject to regulation by supra-spinally located neurons. This concept originated with Sherrington and Sow-ton’s (1915) observation that transection of the spinal cord in decerebrate cats enhanced the flexion reflex and was developed further by Lundberg and associates in their studies of flexor reflex afferents (Eccles and Lundberg, 1959; Holmqvist and Lundberg, 1959, 1961). Although these early studies emphasized the effects of descending inhibitory control systems on motor function [see Willis (1982) and Lundberg (1982) for review], later studies demonstrated that this concept also applied to sensory function. Thus, Wall (1967) observed that cold block of the spinal cord in decerebrate cats not only enhanced the spontaneous activity of previously quiescent dorsal horn neurons but also augmented their response to peripheral stimuli. Similar observations were made by other laboratories with the additional finding that the inhibition appeared to be selective for the dorsal horn neurons’ responses to noxious, as opposed to nonnoxious, stimuli (Besson et al., 1975; Handwerker et al., 1975; Duggan et al., 1977a; Soja and Sinclair, 1983).
Published Version
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