Relation between intrafusal muscle mechanics and the sensitivity of spindle sensory endings

The behavior of muscle spindles depends on the mechanical properties of the intrafusal muscle and on the properties of the mechano-electric transduction. The mechanical properties determine the proportion of applied stretch which acts on the sensory endings, and the local stretch of the endings acts on the transducer. The evidence to be presented here supports the hypothesis that the sensitivity of primary and secondary sensory endings is directly related to local stretch in the intrafusal fibers and that the local stretch is altered by changes in muscle stiffness. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.