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Neurophysiological mechanisms of recovery of locomotion after spinal injury
Author(s) -
Edgerton V. Reggie,
Roy Roland R.,
Tillakaratne Niranjala,
Gerasimenko Yury
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.60.4
Subject(s) - spinal cord , tonic (physiology) , neuroscience , lumbosacral joint , proprioception , lumbar , central pattern generator , neurophysiology , lumbar spinal cord , spinal cord injury , dorsum , anatomy , rhythm , medicine , psychology
The mammalian lumbar spinal cord has the capacity to generate fictive locomotion, i.e. alternating and rhythmic flexion and extension in the absence of oscillating input from either the brain or the periphery, when stimulated pharmacologically or electrically with a tonic stimulation pattern to either the dorsum of the spinal cord or dorsal roots. Although the circuitry within the lumbosacral spinal cord undoubtedly includes those neurons responsible for central pattern generation that can interpret complex proprioceptive input, this feature is not generally recognized as one of its most outstanding. Our experiments show that the spinal circuitry can accurately perceive proprioceptive input to the lumbosacral spinal cord to detect levels of load on the hindlimbs, the speed of a treadmill belt, and the direction of the movement. This input can serve as the source of control of locomotion in the absence of any input from the brain. Further, repetitive use of this spinal circuitry enables it to relearn how to step.