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• Now let’s see how these elements of the stretch reflex are used in local control of muscle fibers.
What events will stretch the stretch receptor?
• Stretch of the entire muscle (tap the patellar tendon, watch the foot jerk!)
What events will stretch the stretch receptor?
• Stretch of the entire muscle (tap the patellar tendon, watch the foot jerk!)
• Contraction of the intrafusal muscle fiber!
What events will stretch the stretch receptor?
• Stretch of the entire muscle (tap the patellar tendon, watch the foot jerk!)
• Contraction of the intrafusal muscle fiber!– This will occur any time the gamma efferent
fiber stimulates the intrafusal muscle fiber.
• This seems like a stupid thing to do because it would be easier just to stimulate the extrafusal muscle fiber with the alpha efferent neuron.
• But look what happens:
Both the intrafusal fibers AND the extrafusal fibers contract to the same extent. The stretch receptor doesn’t feel a thing!
It becomes stretched (the muscle doesn’t shorten, remember?) and increases the frequency of action potentials along the stretch receptor afferent…..
…which stimulates only the alpha efferent, causing the extrafusal muscle fiber to generate greater amounts of tension.