Reflexes during cat locomotion across speed and gait

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议研究的总体目标是量化猫运动过程中踝关节感觉反馈在一定速度和步态范围内的神经力学影响。通过研究反射在不同速度和步态下的作用，我们建议在每个活动水平上划分出外周反射调制的相对贡献。此外，我们将阐明反射调制与运动速度/步态之间的预测关系。通过踝关节的某些肌肉群的自我再神经支配会导致局部本体感觉反馈的有效丧失。我们将在自我神经移植前后的运动过程中进行生物力学测量，以确定它们在运动过程中的功能重要性。生物力学数据将通过高速视频、三维关节运动学和线性代数分析进行量化。这些发现将提供有价值的信息，说明在运动过程中如何使用反射，以及这种重要性在不同的速度和步态中如何变化。这些信息可以用来预测反射如何被调节，从而帮助患有影响运动和步态运动控制的神经系统疾病的人类患者康复。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall objective of the proposed research is to quantify the neuromechanical influence of sensory feedback from the ankle joint over a range of speeds and gaits during cat locomotion. By studying how reflexes function across a range of speeds and gaits, we propose to partition out the relative contributions of peripheral modulation of reflexes at each activity level. Furthermore, we will elucidate a predictive relationship between reflex modulation and locomotion speed/gait. Self-reinnervation of certain muscle groups crossing the ankle joint will result in the effective loss of localized proprioceptive feedback. We will make biomechanical measurements during locomotion before and after self-reinnervation to determine their functional importance during locomotion. Biomechanical data will be quantified using high-speed video, 3-dimensional joint kinematics and linear algebraic analysis. The findings will provide valuable information about how reflexes are used during locomotion and how this importance changes across different speeds and gaits. This information can then be extrapolated to make predictions about how reflexes may be modulated to assist in rehabilitation techniques for human patients suffering from neurological diseases affecting motor control of movement and gait.