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

1.9K
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...
1.9K
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

2.8K
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...
2.8K
Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

1.8K
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
1.8K
Design Example: Frog Muscle Response01:14

Design Example: Frog Muscle Response

355
A student is tasked to work on an intriguing experiment involving an RL (Resistor-Inductor) circuit to study the muscle response of a frog's leg to electrical stimulation. The RL circuit plays a crucial role in this experiment, providing the means to control and measure the electrical impulses that trigger muscle contraction.
When the switch connecting the RL circuit is closed, a brief muscle contraction is observed. This is because, at a steady state, the inductor acts like a short...
355
Propagation of Action Potentials01:23

Propagation of Action Potentials

7.4K
The propagation of an action potential refers to the process by which a nerve impulse, or "action potential," travels along a neuron.
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
7.4K
Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

4.0K
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.
4.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Shift in motor-state equilibrium explains gait therapy effects of apomorphine in experimental Parkinsonism.

Experimental neurology·2026
Same author

Deep neurobehavioral phenotyping uncovers neural fingerprints of locomotor deficits in Parkinson's disease.

NPJ Parkinson's disease·2026
Same author

Short-term effect of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized sham-controlled crossover study.

Frontiers in neurology·2025
Same author

Central regulation of cardio-behavioral responses: Circuit engagement during aversive emotional states.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2025
Same author

Clonal hematopoiesis-associated motoric deficits caused by monocyte-derived microglia accumulating in aging mice.

Cell reports·2025
Same author

Simultaneous spectral illumination of microplates for high-throughput optogenetics and photobiology.

Biological chemistry·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 11, 2025

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

13.0K

Circuits for State-Dependent Modulation of Locomotion.

Alejandro J Pernía-Andrade1, Nikolaus Wenger2, Maria S Esposito3

  • 1Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|December 3, 2021
PubMed
Summary

This review details how brain circuits control locomotion initiation, maintenance, and termination. Understanding these neural circuits offers targeted therapeutic approaches for motor disorders.

Keywords:
circuits and circuit componentsemotional statesgaitlocomotionmotor controlneural networks

More Related Videos

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology
04:59

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

Published on: January 18, 2010

21.6K
Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion
08:19

Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

Published on: January 15, 2016

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 11, 2025

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

13.0K
Spinal Cord Electrophysiology
04:59

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

Published on: January 18, 2010

21.6K
Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion
08:19

Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

Published on: January 15, 2016

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Systems Neuroscience

Background:

  • Locomotion is dynamically regulated by brain-wide neural circuits.
  • Adaptive behaviors depend on context- and state-dependent modulation of locomotion.
  • Recent advances highlight complex interactions between brain circuits for locomotion control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the neural basis of state-dependent locomotion modulation.
  • To focus on circuit-centered studies in rodents.
  • To emphasize a circuit-centered perspective over functional brain regions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of circuit-centered studies in rodents.
  • Analysis of neural substrates for locomotion initiation, maintenance, and termination.
  • Examination of neuromodulatory and survival circuit involvement.

Main Results:

  • A brain-wide network, including cortex, midbrain, and medulla, underlies locomotion initiation.
  • Specific circuits in motor cortex and the mesencephalic locomotor region are crucial for initiation.
  • Locomotion maintenance involves extensive networks including cortical, cerebellar, and brainstem areas.
  • Locomotor arrest is mediated by survival circuits involving the hypothalamus, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray.

Conclusions:

  • Locomotion is regulated by interconnected brain circuits, not just functional regions.
  • Individual network elements and projection pathways are critical for precise control.
  • Dysfunction in specific circuits can inform targeted therapies for motor disorders.