Publications by authors named "Caroline Morency"
Mammals walk in different directions, such as forward and backward. In human infants/adults and decerebrate cats, one leg can walk forward and the other backward simultaneously on a split-belt treadmill, termed hybrid or bidirectional locomotion. The purpose of the present study was to determine if spinal sensorimotor circuits generate hybrid locomotion and if so, how the limbs remain coordinated.
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- After incomplete spinal cord injuries, animals, including humans, can show significant recovery in locomotion, but they struggle with navigating obstacles.
- A study on 10 adult cats assessed their ability to clear obstacles after a spinal cord hemisection, revealing initial struggles that improved over weeks with better muscle activation and strategies.
- The findings indicated neuroplastic changes in the locomotor control system, allowing for partial recovery of obstacle negotiation over time, although challenges like reduced speed and variability in limb movement remained.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examined how spinal sensorimotor circuits in cats interact with other body inputs to manage walking, focusing on how spinal cord injuries disrupt these processes.
- - After performing staggered injuries on the spinal cord, the researchers found that cats could recover some quadrupedal movement but needed help with balance, and their limb coordination became less stable.
- - Despite significant challenges to coordination and posture after injuries, cats showed quick recovery of hindlimb movement, highlighting the importance of lumbar spinal circuits in regaining locomotion.
Unlabelled: Spinal sensorimotor circuits interact with supraspinal and peripheral inputs to generate quadrupedal locomotion. Ascending and descending spinal pathways ensure coordination between the fore-and hindlimbs. Spinal cord injury disrupts these pathways.
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