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Published on: June 15, 2018
Understanding complex muscles in the rat hindlimb: Activations and actions
Matthew C Tresch1, David A Klein, Sang Hoon Yeo
1Northwestern University, Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Physiology, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. m-tresch@northwestern.edu
Summary
This study investigates rat hindlimb muscle function, finding that spinal pattern generators can activate specific muscle parts at birth. A new musculoskeletal model also accurately simulates muscle actions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
- Comparative Anatomy
Background:
- The rat hindlimb's complex musculature, particularly the biceps femoris, presents challenges in understanding motor control.
- Spinal pattern generators (SPGs) are crucial for coordinated limb movements, but their specificity in complex muscles is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if neonatal rat SPGs can differentially activate subdivisions of the biceps femoris muscle.
- To develop and validate a novel musculoskeletal model for simulating the mechanical actions of rat hindlimb muscles, including complex ones.
Main Methods:
- Examining the specificity of SPGs in activating intramuscular subdivisions of the biceps femoris in neonatal rats.
- Developing a computational musculoskeletal model to represent the mechanical function of individual rat hindlimb muscles.
- Validating the model's ability to simulate actions of both simple and complex hindlimb muscles.
Main Results:
- Neonatal rat SPGs demonstrate a degree of specificity in activating intramuscular subdivisions of the biceps femoris.
- The developed musculoskeletal model successfully captures the mechanical actions of both simple and complex muscles in the rat hindlimb.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal spinal circuitry possesses inherent specificity for controlling complex hindlimb muscles.
- The novel musculoskeletal model provides a valuable tool for studying motor control and muscle function in the rat hindlimb.
