ABSTRACT
Based on the classification dorsal horn evoked by graded stimulation of the sural and gastrocemuis nerves, the convergence of cutaneous and muscular afferents on the neurons was further studied in rat. The results indicate that the dorsal horn neurons activated by stimulating homo-nerve could be classified into three group A, A-C, C. Most of them are A-C.(activated by skin nerve: 68%; by muscular nerve 50.40%). According to their responses to A and C afferents the 125 cutaneo-muscular convergent neurons could be further divided into five groups: 1. A-A 2. A-AC 3. AC-A4. AC-AC 5. C-C. The AC-AC and A-A neurons are much more than the other three(46.27% and 26.12%). The results suggest that the convergent patterns may be involved in the basis for skin and muscle afferents to modulate their imputs(especially pain) in the spinal cord. It might be concerned to the analgesia and hyperalgesia in the level of Spinal cord.