Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1987 Jul;388:505–519. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1987.sp016628

The effects of direction and acceleration of movement of the knee joint of the dog on medial articular nerve discharge.

S Nade 1, P J Newbold 1, S F Straface 1
PMCID: PMC1192562  PMID: 3656199

Abstract

1. The normal activity of the medial articular nerve of the knee joint of nine dogs was measured in response to continuous passive movement. Whole nerve recordings were made simultaneously with joint position and angular velocity. 2. When the knee was moved the medial articular nerve discharged at all joint angles with maximum activity at flexion in some animals, and at extension in others. For an individual animal the discharge pattern was reproducible over several cycles of movement. 3. The discharge was direction sensitive, responding with a lesser activity whenever the joint was moved away from the extremes of movement range. 4. With higher velocities of movement, the discharge activity of the nerve increased at the ends of joint movement. 5. The results indicate that the discharge activity of the whole medial articular nerve is influenced not only by joint position but also by the velocity and acceleration of movement. This may reflect changes in the tension of capsular and extra-capsular tissues.

Full text

PDF
505

Images in this article

507Fig. 1
on p.507

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BOYD I. A., ROBERTS T. D. Proprioceptive discharges from stretch-receptors in the knee-joint of the cat. J Physiol. 1953 Oct;122(1):38–58. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1953.sp004977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bawa P., McKenzie D. C. Contribution of joint and cutaneous afferents to longer-latency reflexes in man. Brain Res. 1981 Apr 27;211(1):185–189. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(81)90081-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Baxendale R. H., Ferrell W. R. Modulation of transmission in flexion reflex pathways by knee joint afferent discharge in the decerebrate cat. Brain Res. 1980 Dec 8;202(2):497–500. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(80)90163-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Baxendale R. H., Ferrell W. R. Modulation of transmission in forelimb flexion reflex pathways by elbow joint afferent discharge in decerebrate cats. Brain Res. 1981 Sep 28;221(2):393–396. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(81)90789-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Burgess P. R., Clark F. J. Characteristics of knee joint receptors in the cat. J Physiol. 1969 Aug;203(2):317–335. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008866. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Carli G., Farabollini F., Fontani G., Meucci M. Slowly adapting receptors in cat hip joint. J Neurophysiol. 1979 May;42(3):767–778. doi: 10.1152/jn.1979.42.3.767. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Clark F. J., Burgess P. R. Slowly adapting receptors in cat knee joint: can they signal joint angle? J Neurophysiol. 1975 Nov;38(6):1448–1463. doi: 10.1152/jn.1975.38.6.1448. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Clark F. J. Information signaled by sensory fibers in medial articular nerve. J Neurophysiol. 1975 Nov;38(6):1464–1472. doi: 10.1152/jn.1975.38.6.1464. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ferrell W. R., Hart I. K. The effect of acute abolition of knee joint afferent discharge on postural reflexes in the conscious cat. Brain Res. 1980 Dec 8;202(2):493–496. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(80)90162-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ferrell W. R., Nade S., Newbold P. J. The interrelation of neural discharge, intra-articular pressure, and joint angle in the knee of the dog. J Physiol. 1986 Apr;373:353–365. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1986.sp016052. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ferrell W. R. The adequacy of stretch receptors in the cat knee joint for signalling joint angle throughout a full range of movement. J Physiol. 1980 Feb;299:85–99. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013112. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Freeman M. A., Wyke B. Reflex innervation of the ankle joint. Nature. 1965 Jul 10;207(993):196–196. doi: 10.1038/207196a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Freeman M. A., Wyke B. The innervation of the knee joint. An anatomical and histological study in the cat. J Anat. 1967 Jun;101(Pt 3):505–532. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Godwin-Austen R. B. The mechanoreceptors of the costo-vertebral joints. J Physiol. 1969 Jun;202(3):737–753. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008838. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Goslow G. E., Jr, Seeherman H. J., Taylor C. R., McCutchin M. N., Heglund N. C. Electrical activity and relative length changes of dog limb muscles as a function of speed and gait. J Exp Biol. 1981 Oct;94:15–42. doi: 10.1242/jeb.94.1.15. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Grigg P. Mechanical factors influencing response of joint afferent neurons from cat knee. J Neurophysiol. 1975 Nov;38(6):1473–1484. doi: 10.1152/jn.1975.38.6.1473. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Grigg P. Response of joint afferent neurons in cat medial articular nerve to active and passive movements of the knee. Brain Res. 1976 Dec 24;118(3):482–485. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(76)90317-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Grillner S. Locomotion in vertebrates: central mechanisms and reflex interaction. Physiol Rev. 1975 Apr;55(2):247–304. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1975.55.2.247. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Halata Z., Badalamente M. A., Dee R., Propper M. Ultrastructure of sensory nerve endings in monkey (Macaca fascicularis) knee joint capsule. J Orthop Res. 1984;2(2):169–176. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100020208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Halata Z. The ultrastructure of the sensory nerve endings in the articular capsule of the knee joint of the domestic cat (Ruffini corpuscles and Pacinian corpuscles). J Anat. 1977 Dec;124(Pt 3):717–729. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Klineberg I. Influences of temporomandibular articular mechanoreceptors in functional jaw movements. J Oral Rehabil. 1980 Jul;7(4):307–317. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2842.1980.tb00449.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Lundberg A., Malmgren K., Schomburg E. D. Role of joint afferents in motor control exemplified by effects on reflex pathways from Ib afferents. J Physiol. 1978 Nov;284:327–343. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1978.sp012543. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. McCall W. D., Jr, Farias M. C., Williams W. J., BeMent S. L. Static and dynamic responses of slowly adapting joint receptors. Brain Res. 1974 Apr 19;70(2):221–243. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(74)90314-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Nade S., Newbold P. J. Pressure-volume relationships and elastance in the knee joint of the dog. J Physiol. 1984 Dec;357:417–439. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1984.sp015509. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. O'Connor B. L., Woodbury P. The primary articular nerves to the dog knee. J Anat. 1982 May;134(Pt 3):563–572. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Rossi A., Grigg P. Characteristics of hip joint mechanoreceptors in the cat. J Neurophysiol. 1982 Jun;47(6):1029–1042. doi: 10.1152/jn.1982.47.6.1029. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. SKOGLUND S. Anatomical and physiological studies of knee joint innervation in the cat. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1956;36(124):1–101. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Schaible H. G., Schmidt R. F. Responses of fine medial articular nerve afferents to passive movements of knee joints. J Neurophysiol. 1983 May;49(5):1118–1126. doi: 10.1152/jn.1983.49.5.1118. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Schaible H. G., Schmidt R. F., Willis W. D. Responses of spinal cord neurones to stimulation of articular afferent fibres in the cat. J Physiol. 1986 Mar;372:575–593. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1986.sp016026. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Wei J. Y., Simon J., Randić M., Burgess P. R. Ascending spinal axons that signal the position of the hindlimbs under static conditions: location and receptor input. Exp Brain Res. 1984;54(1):7–22. doi: 10.1007/BF00235814. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES