ABSTRACT Mechanoreceptor neurons were studied in an isolated rat skin preparation subjected to dynamic biaxial stretch. The strength of the relationship between neuronal responses and mechanical variables was determined using multiple logistic regression. The experimental protocol allowed the normal stresses as well as the maximum shear stress to be manipulated. In n=4 neurons, response was associated with the time rate of change of normal stress and this response was affected by the direction of loading. There was no relationship between response and the value of maximum shear stress. There was a strong association with the rate of change of maximum shear stress. INTRODUCTION Mechanoreceptors are sensory neurons that are activated by mechanical stimulation of soft tissues. There are large numbers of mechanoreceptors in skin, and virtually all of them can be activated by stretch stimuli. Stretching skin alters the states of both stress and strain. Work in our laboratory has focused on determining the coupling between stretch-evoked responses in cutaneous neurons and the stress and strain components of stretch stimuli. Recently
