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Related Concept Videos

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.
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.
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Direct Motor Pathways01:11

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The motor unit is a fundamental component of the neuromuscular system and plays a crucial role in coordinating muscle contractions. It consists of a somatic motor neuron, which connects and controls multiple skeletal muscle fibers, forming a single functional segment. The axon of the motor neuron branches out and establishes synaptic connections known as neuromuscular junctions with individual muscle fibers within the motor unit.
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Motor Units00:46

Motor Units

A motor unit consists of two main components: a single efferent motor neuron (i.e., a neuron that carries impulses away from the central nervous system) and all of the muscle fibers it innervates. The motor neuron may innervate multiple muscle fibers, which are single cells, but only one motor neuron innervates a single muscle fiber.

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In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
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Motor command for precision grip in the macaque monkey can be mediated by spinal interneurons.

B Alstermark1, L G Pettersson, Y Nishimura

  • 1Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Section of Physiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. Bror.Alstermark@physiol.umu.se

Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 23, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Spinal interneurons can mediate precise finger movements. C3-C4 propriospinal interneurons transmit commands for precision grip, challenging the view that only direct pathways control such actions.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control Research
  • Spinal Cord Physiology

Background:

  • Spinal interneurons are traditionally linked to reflexes and automatic movements.
  • The role of spinal interneurons in voluntary, independent finger movements remains debated.
  • The direct corticomotoneuronal pathway's exclusive role in fine motor control is questioned.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if spinal interneurons can mediate cortical commands for independent finger movements.
  • To determine the contribution of C3-C4 propriospinal interneurons to precision grip.
  • To differentiate the roles of the corticospinal tract and propriospinal pathways in fine motor control.

Main Methods:

  • Training macaque monkeys in a precision grip task (picking up food).
  • Performing lateral corticospinal tract (CST) lesions at different spinal levels (C4/C5 and C2).
  • Assessing the monkeys' ability to perform precision grip after CST lesions.

Main Results:

  • Monkeys could perform precision grip after CST lesions at C4/C5.
  • Precision grip was not possible after CST lesions at C2.
  • C3-C4 propriospinal interneurons were identified as projecting to hand and arm motoneurons.

Conclusions:

  • C3-C4 propriospinal interneurons are capable of transmitting the cortical command for precision grip.
  • This finding challenges the notion that only direct corticomotoneuronal pathways control independent finger movements.
  • Spinal interneurons play a significant role in voluntary fine motor control.