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Analysis of efferent discharges of linguosaliyatory reflex in cats

Jian Lianhai, Zhang Shujie, Shen E

Shanghai Brain Research Institute, Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Academia Sinica. Shanghai, China

Abstract

Efferent discharges in the nerve trunk or fine strands of a branch of chorda tympani innervating submandibular gland were reflexly elicited by gustatory stimulation of the tongue or electric stimulation of the lingual nerve. An early component of the reflex compound action potentials in the nerve trunk could be distinguished from a late one. The latencies of the reflex discharges in 60 units varied between 7.5 to 104 ms. The conduction velocities of 38 efferent fibers were measured to be 1-3 m/s which were in the category of C fibers, and those of the remaining 9 fibers were 3-12 m/s belonging to B fibers. In different units, the reflex discharges might be either a single or a train of spikes. Some of the unit discharges could follow stimulation of lingual nerve at a frequency as high as 200-250 Hz, but others could only follow a frequency of stimulation less than 14 Hz. Occasionally, recruiting response could be demonstrated during prolonged repetitive stimulation. The results indicate that the linguo-salivatory reflex discharges recorded from different efferent fibers are mediated by different neuronal pathways: some are oligo- or even monosynaptic, while others are polysynaptic, involving more complicated neuronal circuits.

Key words: Linguo-salivatory reflex;Submandibular nerve branch;Recruitment

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Citing This Article：

Jian Lianhai, Zhang Shujie, Shen E. Analysis of efferent discharges of linguosaliyatory reflex in cats. Acta Physiol Sin 1985; 37 (2): (in Chinese with English abstract).