Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Cortical control of a whisking central pattern generator.

Nathan P Cramer1, Asaf Keller

  • 1Program in Neuroscience and the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 28, 2006
PubMed
Summary

The motor cortex regulates voluntary movements by influencing subcortical central pattern generators (CPGs). This study shows the vibrissa motor cortex (vMCx) modulates whisking CPG activity, impacting movement kinematics.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sex Differences in Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Response to Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

<sup>1</sup>H-MRS brain metabolites as biomarkers of high-altitude hypobaric hypoxia following mild traumatic brain injury in mice.

Frontiers in neuroscience·2026
Same author

Neuropathological and Behavioral Effects of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury at High Altitude.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
Same author

Lasting Increases in Neuronal Activity and Serotonergic Receptor Expression Following Gestational Chlorpyrifos Exposure.

eNeuro·2025
Same author

Nicotinic Modulation of Fast-Spiking Neurons in Rat Somatosensory Cortex across Development.

eNeuro·2025
Same author

Gestational Chlorpyrifos Exposure Imparts Lasting Alterations to the Rat Somatosensory Cortex.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Systems Neuroscience

Background:

  • The precise role of the motor cortex in voluntary movement generation is debated.
  • It remains unclear whether the motor cortex directly generates motor patterns or acts via subcortical central pattern generators (CPGs).
  • The rat whisker system provides a valuable model for studying mammalian motor control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between the vibrissa motor cortex (vMCx) and a subcortical whisking CPG.
  • To explore the role of a serotonergic component within the whisking CPG.
  • To understand how CPG drive is translated into vibrissa motor unit activity.

Main Methods:

  • Development of an anesthetized rat preparation for studying vMCx-CPG interactions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the vMCx to evoke whisking.
  • Administration of a serotonin receptor antagonist to assess CPG involvement.
  • Analysis of vibrissal electromyography (EMG) and direct motoneuron recordings.

    • Main Results:

    • ICMS-evoked whisking frequency differed from stimulation frequency, suggesting CPG modulation.
    • Whisking onset latency showed a negative correlation with stimulation intensity.
    • Serotonin receptor antagonism suppressed ICMS-evoked whisking, confirming a serotonergic CPG component.
    • Whisking amplitude correlated with active motor unit count and activity.
    • Whisking frequency correlated with motoneuron firing rates.

    Conclusions:

    • The findings support the hypothesis that the vibrissa motor cortex (vMCx) regulates whisking by acting on a subcortical CPG.
    • The study highlights the importance of serotonergic pathways within the CPG for whisking control.
    • Motor unit recruitment and firing rates are key mechanisms for translating CPG output into movement kinematics.