Response of hip joint afferent fibers to pressure and vibration in the cat

Abstract

Mechanical properties of 33 slowly adapting and 8 quickly adapting capsule receptors of the hip joint were investigated. All the slowly adapting receptors identified were of a limited range, discharging only when the femur was rotated to its limit of movement. They behaved as single-spot high-threshold pressure receptors as shown by the von Frey's hairs. In addition they showed a low sensitivity to vibratory stimuli applied perpendicularly to their receptive field. Only 14 out of 33 units were found to discharge following vibration; 11 could be driven 1:1 at different frequencies. There was a general trend to be entrained at lower amplitudes for higher frequencies of vibration. A positive correlation between the pressure threshold and both activation angle and vibration threshold was found. The mechanical properties of all the quickly adapting capsule receptors were found to be similar to those described in other tissues. Finally, unlike joint receptors, slowly adapting muscle afferents travelling in the same hip articular nerve were highly sensitive to pressure and vibratory stimuli.