[Functional organization of the reticulo- and vestibulospinal synaptic projections of the lumbar motor neurons in rats]

Abstract

Synaptic events evoked by in lumbar motoneurons ally antidromic by stimulation of identified reticulo- and vestibulo-spinal neurons were studied in the rat. Monosynaptic actions produced by fast-conducting reticulo-spinal fibers were found in different hind-limb motoneurons innervating proximal and distal flexor and extensor muscles. Vestibulo-spinal projections contained relatively few fast-conducting fibers and produced mainly polysynaptic actions in hind-limb motoneurons. The convergence of reticulo- and vestibulo-spinal synaptic influences in different motoneurons was demonstrated.