Intralimb and Interlimb Cutaneous Reflexes during Locomotion in the Intact Cat

When the foot contacts an obstacle during locomotion, cutaneous inputs activate spinal circuits to ensure dynamic balance and forward progression. In quadrupeds, this requires coordinated reflex responses between the four limbs. Here, we investigated the patterns and phasic modulation of cutaneous reflexes in forelimb and hindlimb muscles evoked by inputs from all four limbs. Five female cats were implanted to record muscle activity and to stimulate the superficial peroneal and superficial radial nerves during locomotion. Stimulating these nerves evoked short-, mid-, and longer-latency excitatory and/or inhibitory responses in all four limbs that were phase-dependent. The largest responses were generally observed during the peak activity of the muscle. Cutaneous reflexes during mid-swing were consistent with flexion of the homonymous limb and accompanied by modification of the stance phases of the other three limbs, by coactivating flexors and extensors and/or by delaying push-off. Cutaneous reflexes during mid-stance were consistent with stabilizing the homonymous limb by delaying and then facilitating its push-off and modifying the support phases of the homolateral and diagonal limbs, characterized by coactivating flexors and extensors, reinforcing extensor activity and/or delaying push-off. The shortest latencies of homolateral and diagonal responses were consistent with fast-conducting disynaptic or trisynaptic pathways. Descending homolateral and diagonal pathways from the forelimbs to the hindlimbs had a higher probability of eliciting responses compared with ascending pathways from the hindlimbs to the forelimbs. Thus, in quadrupeds, intralimb and interlimb reflexes activated by cutaneous inputs ensure dynamic coordination of the four limbs, producing a whole-body response.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The skin contains receptors that, when activated, send inputs to spinal circuits, signaling a perturbation. Rapid responses, or reflexes, in muscles of the contacted limb and opposite homologous limb help maintain balance and forward progression. Here, we investigated reflexes during quadrupedal locomotion in the cat by electrically stimulating cutaneous nerves in each of the four limbs. Functionally, responses appear to modify the trajectory or stabilize the movement of the stimulated limb while modifying the support phase of the other limbs. Reflexes between limbs are mediated by fast-conducting pathways that involve excitatory and inhibitory circuits controlling each limb. The comparatively stronger descending pathways from cervical to lumbar circuits controlling the forelimbs and hindlimbs, respectively, could serve a protective function.