RELATION OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM TO MUSCLE TONE

Abstract

I. Introduction. II. The Dual Innervation of Skeletal Muscle. III. The Relation of the Sympathetic System to Muscle Tone. IV. Experimental Observations. A. Effect of Removal of the Sympathetic Innervation in Normal Animals. B. Effect of Removal of the Sympathetic Innervation on the Production and Maintenance of Decerebrate Rigidity. V. Clinical Observations. A. Methods Employed to Measure Changes in Muscle Tone. B. Types of Clinical Cases Chosen to Study the Effect of Sympathectomy on Muscle Tone. C. Procedures Employed. D. Results of Operations. VI. Discussion. VII. Conclusions. INTRODUCTION A further impetus has been given to the surgical aspect of the sympathetic nervous system in a recent series of articles by Royle and Hunter.1Assuming as proved the principle that all striated muscle has a dual innervation from the cerebrospinal and sympathetic nervous systems, these investigators have predicated that increased muscle tonus, due to various types of lesions, may be