Abstract des Autors

A servo-controlled tendon vibrator was used in the four experiments described in this chapter. In the first experiment, the vibrator was used to investigate whether changing the frequency, amplitude, and background force of tendon compression produced consistent and predictable changes in intramuscular length in localized regions of a muscle. In the second experiment, the vibrator was used to determine whether changing the frequency, amplitude and background force of tendon vibration produced consistent and predictable changes in the firing patterns of muscle spindle afferents. In the third experiment, the vibrator was used to investigate the characteristics and mechanics in proprioceptive coordination - specifically, how the frequency and timing of tendon vibration influenced a proprioceptively coordinated movement. In the fourth experiment, the vibrator was used to investigate the coding kinematic information by muscle spindles - specifically, how random noise can improve the coding and transmission of proprioceptive information during movement. Verf.-Referat