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Determining and Controlling External Power Output During Regular Handrim Wheelchair Propulsion
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Push-pull control of motor output.

Michael D Johnson1, Allison S Hyngstrom, Marin Manuel

  • 1Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. m-johnson16@northwestern.edu

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|March 30, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Push-pull organization in the spinal cord enhances neuronal excitability. Increasing background inhibition paradoxically boosts peak force production through disinhibition, revealing a novel motor control mechanism.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Spinal Cord Physiology

Background:

  • Neuronal inhibition typically reduces excitability.
  • Push-pull organization, where inhibition decreases as excitation increases, can enhance excitability.
  • The system-level impact of push-pull organization in neural processing requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional impact of push-pull organization at the system level in the motor output stage of the feline spinal cord.
  • To determine if push-pull organization in motoneurons influences motor output and force production.
  • To explore the relationship between background inhibition and peak force generation.

Main Methods:

  • Studied push-pull organization in ankle extensor motoneurons in the feline spinal cord.
  • Utilized independent control of inhibitory and excitatory components.
  • Measured synaptic current modulation and peak force production.

Main Results:

  • Push-pull organization was clearly present in ankle extensor motoneurons.
  • This organization resulted in increased peak-to-peak modulation of synaptic currents.
  • Increased background inhibition led to greater peak force production, demonstrating disinhibition.

Conclusions:

  • Push-pull organization is functionally significant at the system level in the spinal cord's motor output stage.
  • The findings reveal a paradoxical mechanism where increased background inhibition enhances motor output via disinhibition.
  • This study provides novel insights into the neural control of force production.