Abstract
Three young adult males, who were trained in Jacobson's method of mental and physical relaxation, were used to investigate the effect of scratching the skin over the rectus femoris, abductor hallucis and hamstring muscles on the phasic reaction of a stretch reflex (the patellar tendon jerk). Neurophysiological experiments with infrahuman animals have shown that alpha and gamma motoneurons are facilitated by stimulation of the skin over the responding muscle and inhibited from some other areas of the ipsilateral limb. These experiments with intact human subjects confirmed that the patellar reflex is augmented by scratching the skin over rectus femoris and, in general, the response is not affected by similar stimulation over the hamstrings or the abductor hallucis. Certain inferences which are supported by the data, are made about the involvement of the alpha and gamma motoneurons.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
