[On crossed reflexes in human leg motoricity (author's transl)].

Crossed reflexes induced in the muscles of the calf were studied in 30 neurologically healthy volunteers. Almost half of the volunteers showed a pronounced reaction of the contralateral gastrocnemius muscle and of the soleus on ipsilateral stimulation of the corresponding muscle. The results vary, but they show that fundamentally there are processes of facilitation and inhibition due to the stimulation of the tension receptors or Golgi tendon organs of the stimulated muscle and also to the muscle spindle afferents of the antagonistically stretched muscle. It is assumed that the contralateral reflexes can exercise a modulatory effect on the central locomotor program, although they do not monitor it.