The effect of sympathetic nerve stimulation on responses of cutaneous pacinian corpuscles in the cat.

In the cat electrical stimulation of the distal segments of transected sympathetic nerves to the forelimb produces either an increase or a decrease in the responsiveness of the Pacinian corpuscles under the glabrous skin of th forepaw when the corpuscles are stimulated with high frequency mechanical vibration. The minimum latency of the change in Pacinian response is about 1-2 sec. As these effects could be stimulated by reduction in the forelimb blood supply it is probable that the changes in cutaneous corpuscle responsiveness following sympathetic stimulation are caused by local changes in blood flow.