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 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...
Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy01:16

Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy

The cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord offers a detailed view of its complex structure and function within the central nervous system. At the core of the spinal cord lies the gray matter, characterized by its butterfly or "H"-shaped appearance in cross-section. This central region is enveloped by white matter, with the overall structure divided into symmetrical halves by the dorsal median sulcus and the ventral median fissure.
Gray Matter and its Components
Central to the gray matter is...
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
Spinal Cord: Information Processing01:10

Spinal Cord: Information Processing

The spinal cord is an integral hub for motor and sensory information that enables the brain to communicate with the peripheral nervous system (PNS). This communication consists of relaying sensory data and transmission of motor commands.
Sensory Information Processing
Sensory information processing begins at the sensory receptors located in the skin and other tissues, which detect somatic sensory stimuli such as touch, temperature, or pain. These receptors function as catalysts, initiating...
Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways01:29

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A uniform tissue-clearing framework and mesoSPIM-ultra enable cm-scale single-neuron tracing.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Co-Creating an Intervention to Prevent Injuries in Police Force Recruits: A Concept Mapping Study of Police Force Recruits, Police Force Staff, Health Professionals, and Research Experts.

Sports medicine - open·2026
Same author

GPT-4 outperforms junior expert physical therapists in sports medicine rehabilitation: an evaluation of AI response quality and adaptiveness.

Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences·2026
Same author

Injury and Illness Prevalence and Incidence in Swedish Olympic Athletes: A 3-year Prospective Cohort Study.

Sports medicine - open·2026
Same author

Supported implementation enhances injury prevention programme (Prep-to-Play) use in women and girls playing Australian Football: a pragmatic type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness stepped wedge cluster randomised trial.

British journal of sports medicine·2026
Same author

Alterations in knee biomechanics and motor performance following 3 months training with the Football+ and 11+ warm-up programs among amateur female players. A three-armed cluster allocated, non-randomized intervention study.

Journal of exercise science and fitness·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology
04:59

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

Published on: January 18, 2010

Probing spinal circuits controlling walking in mammals.

Ole Kiehn1, Kimberly J Dougherty, Martin Hägglund

  • 1Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 8, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden. O.Kiehn@ki.se

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|May 25, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Scientists are uncovering the network organization of mammalian spinal central pattern generators (CPGs) that control locomotion. Research using rodent spinal cords reveals specific neuronal roles in coordinating muscle activity and generating rhythmic movement.

More Related Videos

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects
10:19

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects

Published on: April 13, 2011

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo
13:07

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo

Published on: December 5, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology
04:59

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

Published on: January 18, 2010

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects
10:19

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects

Published on: April 13, 2011

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo
13:07

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo

Published on: December 5, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Mammalian locomotion is a complex motor behavior requiring precise muscle coordination.
  • The underlying neural control relies on intrinsic spinal networks known as central pattern generators (CPGs).
  • Understanding the precise organization and function of these CPGs remains a significant neuroscientific challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on the network organization of mammalian spinal CPGs.
  • To elucidate the roles of specific neuronal populations in locomotor control.
  • To propose organizational principles for segmental CPGs.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments utilizing isolated rodent spinal cords.
  • Integration of electrophysiological recordings to assess neural activity.
  • Application of molecular genetics to identify and manipulate specific neuronal populations.

Main Results:

  • Identification of distinct neuronal populations responsible for key CPG functions.
  • Demonstration of specific roles in coordinating muscle activation patterns.
  • Evidence for neuronal contributions to the generation of rhythmic locomotor activity.

Conclusions:

  • Significant progress has been made in dissecting the mammalian locomotor CPG network.
  • Specific neuronal populations play critical, defined roles within the CPG.
  • A framework of organizational principles for mammalian segmental CPGs is emerging.