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

Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

5.6K
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.
5.6K
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

4.7K
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...
4.7K
Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

Indirect Motor Pathways

3.4K
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...
3.4K
The Neuromuscular Junction01:19

The Neuromuscular Junction

17.6K
The nervous system consists of complex motor neuron circuits, including upper motor neurons originating from the cerebral cortex and lower motor neurons starting in the spinal cord, coordinating both voluntary and involuntary movements. Among these, somatic motor neurons activate skeletal muscles and are classified into alpha, beta, and gamma types. Alpha neurons are vital for voluntary movement coordination, while gamma neurons adjust muscle spindle sensitivity, and the function of beta...
17.6K
Brainstem01:19

Brainstem

7.5K
The brainstem, located inferior to the brain and superior to the spinal cord, serves as a bridge between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It plays a vital role in relaying information and controlling critical life functions. It comprises three primary regions: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
7.5K
Sympathetic Pathways: Sympathetic Chain Ganglia01:20

Sympathetic Pathways: Sympathetic Chain Ganglia

7.2K
The sympathetic chain ganglia, also known as the sympathetic trunk ganglia or paravertebral ganglia, are a series of ganglia located bilaterally on either side of the spinal column. These ganglia serve as relay stations for the sympathetic nervous system. Preganglionic neurons originating in the spinal cord project their axons to the sympathetic chain ganglia. Within the ganglia, these preganglionic fibers synapse with postganglionic neurons.The postganglionic neurons of the sympathetic trunk...
7.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Circuit organization and transcriptomic heterogeneity of sympathetic circuits innervating cranial structures.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Expression and Localization of NMDA Receptor GluN2 Subunits in Dorsal Horn Pain Circuits across Sex, Species, and Late Postnatal Development.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same author

A spinal substrate for modular control of natural behavior.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Impaired nucleocytoplasmic transport in SOD1-mediated ALS.

Molecular neurodegeneration·2026
Same author

Ontogeny of the spinal cord dorsal horn.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

A genetically-defined population of amygdalofugal neurons promotes suckling and early postnatal growth.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices
10:48

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices

Published on: September 7, 2021

7.0K

Identification of a cellular node for motor control pathways.

Ariel J Levine1, Christopher A Hinckley1, Kathryn L Hilde2

  • 11] Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA. [2] Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA. [3].

Nature Neuroscience
|March 11, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers identified novel motor synergy encoder (MSE) neurons in the mouse spinal cord. These neurons are crucial for orchestrating complex movements by connecting the brain to motor neurons.

More Related Videos

Extracellularly Identifying Motor Neurons for a Muscle Motor Pool in Aplysia californica
13:37

Extracellularly Identifying Motor Neurons for a Muscle Motor Pool in Aplysia californica

Published on: March 25, 2013

11.4K
Visualization of the Axonal Projection Pattern of Embryonic Motor Neurons in Drosophila
11:56

Visualization of the Axonal Projection Pattern of Embryonic Motor Neurons in Drosophila

Published on: June 16, 2017

7.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 2, 2026

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices
10:48

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices

Published on: September 7, 2021

7.0K
Extracellularly Identifying Motor Neurons for a Muscle Motor Pool in Aplysia californica
13:37

Extracellularly Identifying Motor Neurons for a Muscle Motor Pool in Aplysia californica

Published on: March 25, 2013

11.4K
Visualization of the Axonal Projection Pattern of Embryonic Motor Neurons in Drosophila
11:56

Visualization of the Axonal Projection Pattern of Embryonic Motor Neurons in Drosophila

Published on: June 16, 2017

7.3K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Spinal Cord Research

Background:

  • Animal behavior relies on complex motor programs encoded in the central nervous system (CNS) as motor synergies.
  • The specific neurons controlling these motor programs, their properties, and connections remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize the neural circuitry responsible for orchestrating motor synergies.
  • To investigate the role of specific spinal cord neurons in voluntary and reflexive movement control.

Main Methods:

  • Molecularly defined a population of motor synergy encoder (MSE) neurons in the mouse spinal cord.
  • Investigated inputs from the motor cortex and sensory pathways to MSE neurons.
  • Examined monosynaptic outputs from MSE neurons to spinal motor neurons using optical stimulation.

Main Results:

  • MSE neurons form a potential central node for motor pathways.
  • MSE neurons receive direct input from motor cortex and sensory pathways.
  • Optical stimulation of MSE neurons elicited reliable activity patterns in motor groups, varying with stimulation location.

Conclusions:

  • Identified a novel population of MSE neurons in the spinal cord.
  • These neurons are strategically positioned to integrate descending and ascending inputs for motor control.
  • MSE neurons likely form a cellular network essential for encoding coordinated motor output programs.