Does stimulation of sympathetic axons elicit an increase in cat spindle afferent discharge detectable by the antidromic collision technique

Abstract Averaged antidromic action potentials of Group I and Group II fibres elicited in cats by stimulation of L7 and S1 dorsal roots were recorded from intact tibial nerves (near the ankle) either in absence of or during repetitive stimulation of the ipsilateral lumbar sympathetic chain. This was done to test the suggestion that stimulation of noradrenergic sympathetic axons may elicit, in spindles of foot muscles, a substantial increase in the firing rate of secondary endings, capable of reducing the size of afferent antidromic volleys by collision with orthodromic impulses. We found that potentials recorded during sympathetic stimulation were identical to those recorded in absence of stimulation. The reduction in size of a component of the compound action potentials led from the intact tibial nerve during stimulation at 10–20 Hz of the sciatic nerve with C strength pulses, as described by Grassi, Filippi and Passatore ( Brain Research , 435 (1987) 15–23), was observed in certain conditions of stimulation. However this reduction cannot be ascribed to antidromic collision, because it is still observed after severing the tibial nerve distal to the recording electrode.