Experimental evaluation of the hypothesis of ligamento-muscular protective reflexes. II. A study in cat using the medial collateral ligament of the knee joint.

Abstract

ABSTRACTAndersson, S. and B. Stener. Experimental evaluation of the hypothesis of ligamento‐muscular protective reflexes. II. A study in cat using the medial collateral ligament of the knee joint.Acta physiol. scand.1959.48.Suppl. 166. 27—49.—A method has been developed for effecting a large increase in the ligament's tension, without appreciably damaging its innervation during the preparatory dissection (STENER 1959). The effect of the intense afferent impulse flow, induced by this method, on motoneurones supplying muscles capable of opposing an increase in tension in the ligament was studied by myography, electromyography and monosynaptic testing. With none of these methods was it possible to detect any reflex motor effects ascribable to receptors in the ligament. On the other hand, strong reflex motor responses were obtained by gentle mechanical stimulation of extra‐ligamentary receptors within the ventromedial region of the joint (skin removed).