Cerebral activity preceding voluntary exercise - generation of central command

我们进行了人类和动物研究，以探索在运动过程中产生负责循环前馈控制的中央命令的神经机制。当用近红外光谱测量人类额叶不同部位的大脑皮层活动时，前额叶活动在运动开始前增加，而运动区从未显示出这种活动。 本研究以动物为实验对象，探讨脑干尤其是中脑腹侧被盖区（VTA）的神经回路是否在产生中枢指令中发挥作用。 注射GABA拮抗剂到VTA增加肾交感神经流出和血压，并引起节律性运动神经放电，而注射GABA激动剂停止自发运动活动。VTA的血流量和c-fos表达在自发运动过程中增加。因此，很可能是前额叶活动的增加触发了腹侧被盖区的神经回路产生中央命令。

We conducted human and animal studies to explore neural mechanisims of generating central command responsible for feedforward control of circulation during exercise. When measuring cerebral cortical activity with near infrared spectroscopy at various sites of the frontal lobe in humans, prefrontal activity increased preceding the exercise onset while motor areas never showed such activity. Animal study was performed to examine whether neural circuits in the brainstem, particularly the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), may play a role in generating central command. Injection of a GABA antagonist into VTA increased renal sympathetic outflow and blood pressure and caused rhythmic motor nerve discharges, whereas injection of a GABA agonist stopped spontaneous motor activity. Blood flow and c-fos expression in VTA increased during spontaneous motor activity. Thus it is likely that an increase in prefrontal activity triggers neural circuits in VTA to generate central command.