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Variability analyses suggest that supraspino-spinal interactions provide dynamic stability in motor control
1Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Wenner-Gren Laboratory, Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40506-0070, USA.
Brain Research
|March 7, 2002
Summary
Supraspinal-spinal interactions slow lamprey locomotion but increase rhythm variability, suggesting dynamic stability. Differences in neural organization contribute to motor output variations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Locomotion research
- Computational neuroscience
Background:
- Locomotor rhythm and coordination rely on complex supraspinal and spinal network interactions.
- Understanding feedforward-feedback (FF-FB) mechanisms is crucial for deciphering motor control variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of supraspinal-spinal FF-FB interactions on the variability of lamprey locomotor rhythm and coordination.
- To analyze how altering supraspinal drive and feedback affects spinal network activity.
Main Methods:
- In vitro brain-spinal cord lamprey preparations were used.
- Spinal locomotor networks were activated using N-methyl-DL-aspartate (NMA).
- Wavelet analysis and sliding-window time-varying covariance methods analyzed ventral root (VR) activity and rhythm parameters.
Main Results:
- Interruption of FF-FB interactions altered energy distribution in VR activity.
- Rostral VR exhibited higher variability than caudal VR, a gradient that persisted after FF-FB interruption.
- Locomotor rhythm became slower but more variable with supraspinal-spinal interactions present.
Conclusions:
- Supraspinal-spinal interactions modulate locomotor rhythm, leading to slower but more variable output, potentially indicating dynamic stability.
- Rostro-caudal differences in motor output variability are influenced by local neural organization within the spinal cord.