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Reflex pathways in the spinal cord

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Control of Human Voluntary Movement
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Abstract

Reflexes are most easily observed and analysed when the spinal cord receives a synchronous volley of afferent input. Because of this, the afferent volley usually has been provoked by electrical stimulation of nerves, rather than by natural stimulation of peripheral receptors. The result has been that most reflex stimuli, especially in animal experiments, are described in terms of the intensity of electrical stimulation of the nerve, rather than in terms of which sensory receptors have been activated. Fortunately, in muscle nerves there is a fairly close relationship between the electrical stimulation threshold of a fibre and the sensory receptor which it innervates.

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© 1994 John Rothwell

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Rothwell, J. (1994). Reflex pathways in the spinal cord. In: Control of Human Voluntary Movement. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6960-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6960-8_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-412-47700-3

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