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Related Concept Videos

Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

Indirect Motor Pathways

The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and the...
Rolling With Slipping01:14

Rolling With Slipping

Rolling with slipping is a physical phenomenon that occurs when a rolling object experiences both rotational and linear motion but also experiences frictional forces that cause slipping. This phenomenon can occur in various situations, such as when a tire rolls on a wet road or a ball rolls on a rough surface.
An object's rolling motion is characterized by its rotation around its axis, while linear motion refers to the object's translational motion along a surface. Frictional forces can affect...
Rolling Without Slipping01:09

Rolling Without Slipping

People have observed the rolling motion without slipping ever since the invention of the wheel. For example, one can look at the interaction between a car's tires and the surface of the road. If the driver presses the accelerator to the floor so that the tires spin without the car moving forward, there must be kinetic friction between the wheels and the road's surface. If the driver slowly presses the accelerator, causing the car to move forward, the tires roll without slipping. It is essential...
Kinetic Friction01:26

Kinetic Friction

Consider a truck trying to pull a stationary car. As the truck exerts a force on the car, static friction is created at the point of contact between the two surfaces. This frictional force resists the car's movement and keeps it at rest. However, when the applied force by the truck surpasses the limiting static frictional force, an interesting phenomenon occurs. The frictional force at the interface reduces to a lower value, known as the kinetic frictional force. At this point, the car begins...
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Actin Treadmilling

Actin filaments undergo polymerization and depolymerization from either end. The polymerization and depolymerization rates depend on the cytosolic concentration of free G-actins. The polymerization rate is generally higher at the plus or barbed end, while the depolymerization rate is higher at the minus or pointed end. At a steady state, critical concentration describes the concentration of free G-actin monomers at which the polymerization rate at the plus end is equal to that of the...

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Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects
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Motor patterns during walking on a slippery walkway.

Germana Cappellini1, Yuri P Ivanenko, Nadia Dominici

  • 1Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, Scientific Institute Foundation Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy. g.cappellini@hsantalucia.it

Journal of Neurophysiology
|December 4, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Humans adapt gait on slippery surfaces by reducing step length and increasing limb stiffness for stability. This distinct gait mode enhances motor output to manage uncertain conditions effectively.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Neuroscience
  • Human Locomotion

Background:

  • Friction and gravity are fundamental constraints on terrestrial locomotion.
  • Understanding gait adaptation to altered surface conditions is crucial for motor control research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the spatiotemporal organization of motor output during human gait adaptation to low-friction environments.
  • To analyze changes in kinematics, ground reaction forces, and muscle activity (EMG) under slippery conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Subjects walked on normal and low-friction (approx. 0.06) surfaces.
  • Gait kinematics, ground reaction forces, and EMG from 16 leg/trunk muscles were recorded.
  • EMG patterns were mapped to motoneuron (MN) pools to characterize motor output.

Main Results:

  • Slippery conditions led to shorter steps, reduced horizontal forces, and altered kinematics resembling nonplantigrade gait.
  • Increased head stabilization, arm swing, trunk rotation, and lateral inclination were observed.
  • Motoneuron activity doubled, with muscle synergist decoupling and enhanced hip/center-of-body mass stabilization.

Conclusions:

  • Humans adopt a distinct gait mode on uncertain surfaces, prioritizing center-of-mass stability over supporting limbs.
  • This gait adaptation involves increased limb stiffness and modified motor patterns.
  • The observed strategies are likely beneficial for navigating unpredictable environmental conditions.