NEURAL CONTROL OF THE REACH-TO-GRASP

描述（改编自申请人的摘要）：本发明的总体目标 研究的目的是了解神经系统如何控制肢体运动。 我们选择研究的肢体运动是为了抓住一个 对象--一项复杂的任务，需要使用感官信息来 协调整个肢体的肌肉。 许多物种的生存， 包括人类在内，都依赖于快速地执行伸手抓握， 精度 尽管伸手去抓很重要， 关于它的控制，因为很少有研究记录从神经系统 在伸手抓的过程中 我们的实验室记录了 猫和猴子的大脑中的单细胞，当他们达到抓住一个 object. 数据表明神经系统的主要部分 （中间小脑和相关结构）参与控制 抓而不伸 也就是说，神经系统的不同部分 控制运动的不同部分;这代表了一个重要的 我们对运动控制的理解。 这项提案中概述的研究将确定神经系统的部分 在伸手抓取过程中控制伸手范围的系统。 控制 肩部和上臂肌肉的运动依赖于 网状结构 我们将从网状神经元中记录 形成猫和猴子，而他们使达到掌握和提供 关于如何控制到达的信息。 解剖学研究将 识别向网状区域提供输入的神经结构 达到，我们将进行额外的记录研究，在这些 结构来了解它们是如何促进“伸手去抓”的。 的 数据将提供控制神经系统的第一个详细轮廓。 复杂的前肢运动，也提供了有价值的信息， 大脑的不同区域共同工作，使运动平稳， 准确 神经系统如何控制运动的知识将帮助我们 了解，并可能治疗，疾病和伤害，影响 运动和减损许多人的生活。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from Applicant's Abstract): The overall goal of this research is to understand how the nervous system controls limb movements. The limb movement that we have chosen to study is reaching to grasp an object - a complex task that requires using sensory information to coordinate muscles of the entire limb. The survival of many species, including humans, depends upon performing the reach-to-grasp with speed and accuracy. Despite the importance of the reach-to-grasp, little is known about its control, since few studies have recorded from the nervous system during the reach-to-grasp. Our laboratory has recorded neural activity of single cells in the brains of cats and monkeys while they reach to grasp an object. The data demonstrate that major divisions of the nervous system (intermediate cerebellum and related structures) are involved in control of the grasp but not the reach. That is, different parts of the nervous system control different parts of the movement; this represents an important advance to our understanding of motor control. The research outlined in this proposal will identify parts of the nervous system that control the reach during the reach-to-grasp. Control of the shoulder and muscles of the upper arm depends upon pathways originating in the reticular formation. We will record from neurons in the reticular formation of cats and monkeys while they make the reach-to-grasp and provide information about how reaching is controlled. Anatomical studies will identify neural structures providing input to reticular regions controlling the reach, and we will conduct additional recording studies in those structures to understand how they contribute to the reach-to-grasp. The data will provide the first detailed outline of neural systems controlling a complex forelimb movement and also provide valuable information about how different regions of the brain work together to make movements smooth and precise. Knowledge of how the nervous system controls movement will help us understand, and possibly treat, the diseases and injuries that affect movement and detract from the lives of many people.