Control of Muscle Proprioceptor Sensitivity

项目总结：控制肌肉本体感受器的敏感性。 复杂的运动行为依赖于不断更新的空间中身体位置的感觉，或本体感觉。 来自许多系统的感觉输入在适当的本体感受期间被整合，但是在神经元中发现的感觉神经元在感觉神经元中被整合。 被称为肌梭传入神经的肌肉似乎是最重要的。这些神经元感知肌肉 伸展和运动，对于创建身体图式、协调运动和 纠正电机运行过程中的错误。本体感受器功能在许多情况下都会受损，包括衰老 和糖尿病，导致平衡不稳定和福尔斯。跌倒相关的伤害是昂贵的，并降低预期寿命。 更好地了解肌肉本体感受器在正常情况和疾病下是如何调节的 国家需要开发治疗方法来改善他们的功能。在本提案中，我们将检验以下假设： 本体感受器释放的谷氨酸对于肌肉本体感受器中的适当拉伸敏感性是必不可少的（目的1）。 我们还将检验交感神经系统减少肌肉本体感受器的假设 敏感性，这可能会损害慢性交感神经过度激活期间的运动控制（目标2）。最后， 我们将开发一种用于特定伽马运动神经元刺激的工具， 运动控制生理学研究（目标3）。这些研究的结果将提供一个更好的理解 肌肉本体感受器活动的调节，并提出了肌肉可塑性的机制 本体感受器此外，这些信息将建议潜在的目标，以正常化本体感觉， 比如衰老和糖尿病

PROJECT SUMMARY: Control of muscle proprioceptor sensitivity. Complex motor behaviors rely on a constantly updated sense of body position in space, or proprioception. Sensory input from many systems are integrated during proper proprioception, but sensory neurons found in muscles, known as muscle spindle afferents, seem to be the most important. These neurons sense muscle stretch and movement, information that is critical for creating a body schema, coordinated movement, and correcting errors during motor execution. Proprioceptor function is impaired in many conditions, including aging and diabetes, causing balance instability and falls. Fall related injuries are costly and decrease life expectancy. A better understanding of how muscle proprioceptors are regulated under normal circumstances and disease states is needed to develop therapies to improve their function. In this proposal, we will test the hypothesis that proprioceptor released glutamate is essential for proper stretch sensitivity in muscle proprioceptors (Aim 1). We will also test the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system decreases muscle proprioceptor sensitivity, which may compromise motor control during chronic sympathetic over-activation (Aim 2). Finally, we will develop a tool for specific gamma motor neuron stimulation that will have many potential uses in studies of motor control physiology (Aim 3). The results from these studies will provide a better understanding of the modulation of muscle proprioceptor activity and suggest mechanisms for plasticity in the muscle proprioceptors. Additionally, this information will suggest potential targets to normalize proprioception in conditions like aging and diabetes.