Neuronal constituents of postural and locomotor control systems and their interactions in cats

Studies in both decerebrate, and intact cats have already established the presence of specific areas in the brainstem that subserve control of posture and locomotion. They are the subthalamic locomotor region (SLR) in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) in the posterior midbrain, the dorsal tegmental field (DTF) and the ventral tegmental field (VTF) of caudal pons along its midline. These areas can be stimulates either electrically or chemically to induce site-specific changes in posture and locomotor synergies. Our observations indicate that the postural and locomotor synergies are structured in a hierarchy within rostro-caudal axis of the brainstem, and that the command routing through the brainstem relies on interactions with the SLR, the MLR, the DTF area and the VTF area. These results and our concepts for postural and locomotor control and their interactions are discussed with the concepts of command hierarchies for motor control.