Premium
Sensory feedback alters spontaneous limb movements in newborn rats: Effects of unilateral forelimb weighting
Author(s) -
Brumley Michele R.,
Robinson Scott R.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.21031
Subject(s) - forelimb , proprioception , weighting , psychology , sensory system , physical medicine and rehabilitation , motor activity , neuroscience , medicine , radiology
Perinatal mammals show spontaneous movements that often appear random and uncoordinated. Here, we examined if spontaneous limb movements are responsive to a proprioceptive manipulation by applying a weight unilaterally to a forelimb of postnatal day 0 (P0; day of birth) and P1 rats. Weights were calibrated to approximate 0%, 25%, 50%, or 100% of the average mass of a forelimb, and were attached at the wrist. P0 and P1 pups showed different levels of activity during the period of limb weighting, in response to weight removal, and during the period after weighting. Pups exposed to 50% and 100% weights showed proportionately more activity in the nonweighted forelimb during the period of weighting, suggesting a threshold for evoking proprioceptive changes. Findings suggest that newborn rats use movement‐related feedback to modulate spontaneous motor activity, and corroborate studies of human infants that have suggested a role for proprioception during early motor development. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 323–333, 2013