Crossed and uncrossed central effects of muscle spindle afferents from the lateral pterygoid muscle of the guinea pig.

Physiological evidence is presented for the presence of stretch reflexes in the lateral pterygoid (Pt) muscle of the guinea pig. The central reflex effects of excitation of Pt stretch reflex afferents were also investigated. Passive lateral jaw displacement, which resulted in stretch of the Pt muscle on the side of jaw movement and stretch of the zygomatico-mandibularis (Z) muscle on the side contralateral to the movement, evoked increased EMG activity in these muscles. Stimulation of the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus (mes V) evoked monosynaptic reflexes in both the Pt and Z nerves. Tonic stretch of the Pt muscle facilitated the monosynaptic reflex in the Pt nerve evoked by stimulation of mes V. Tonic vibration of the Pt muscle facilitated the mes V evoked monosynaptic reflex in the nerves to the ipsilateral Pt and contralateral Z muscles. Conversely, tonic vibration of the Z muscle facilitated the monosynaptic reflex evolved by mes V stimulation in the contralateral Pt and ipsilateral Z nerve. The results support the view that muscle spindles exist in the Pt and Z muscles and that there is a monosynaptic stretch reflex for both the Pt and Z muscles with cell bodies located in the mes V nucleus. It was also shown that the ipsilateral Pt muscle and the contralateral Z muscle act as synergists in the production of lateral jaw movements and that the organization of the stretch reflexes originating from the Pt and Z muscles support their synergistic action.