SPINAL MECHANISMS REGULATING MUSCLE AND LIMB MECHANICS

这项研究计划的目标是了解如何电路的 脊髓有助于协调行动的肌肉骨骼 系统了解脊髓回路的一种方法是评估 根据机械动作、长度和力的分量反射 相关的肌肉。例如，倒数的函数 抑制可以通过知道连接的肌肉是 相互拮抗，抑制的强度取决于 肌肉长度一般来说，本体感受反馈来自于一些 不同的受体和收敛和发散广泛在 脊髓这些通路功能低下的一个主要原因 我们的理解是，肌肉的三维动作信息 和神经肌肉间室缺失。每一块肌肉或隔室 在穿过一个或多个关节的唯一方向上， 有着独特的肌间反射模式 这项研究的目的是建立，对于猫后肢， 脊髓反射的组织对应于机械动作 和相关肌肉的自然活动模式。机械 动作将通过测量由多个 脚踝、膝盖和臀部的肌肉力的传递通过 将通过植入的传感器测量复杂或分布的肌腱。 将在去大脑猫中研究肌肉之间的反射联系 通过将选择性长度输入施加到一个肌肉或隔室， 记录另一个在不同力和长度下的力响应 和激活状态。由此产生的扭矩曲线和反射图， 沿着的肢体动力学特性，将为 模型的制定，可以解释如何脊髓回路的行动， 有助于协调肢体运动，以及为什么反射组织 为某些运动任务而修改，例如运动和转向。 从这些研究中得出的反射组织的全局图可以 可能指导信息分析模型的制定 在脊髓中的处理，以及提供新的基础， 运动系统损伤的康复方法。研究 肌腱中的力传递可能表明肌腱的改善 转移手术

The goal of this research program is to understand how the circuits of the spinal cord contribute to coordinated actions of the musculoskeletal system. One way to make sense of spinal circuitry is to evaluate the component reflexes in terms of the mechanical actions, lengths and forces of the associated muscles. For example, the functions of reciprocal inhibition can best be appreciated by knowing that the linked muscles are mutually antagonistic and that the strength of the inhibition depends on muscle length. In general, proprioceptive feedback derives from a number of different receptors and converges and diverges extensively in the spinal cord. A major reason why the functions of these pathways are poorly understood is that information on the three-dimensional actions of muscles and neuromuscular compartments is lacking. Each muscle or compartment acts in a unique direction across one or more joints, and each is associated with a unique pattern of intermuscular reflexes. The purpose of this research is to establish, for the cat hindlimb, how the organization of spinal reflexes corresponds to the mechanical actions and natural activity patterns of the associated muscles. Mechanical actions will be determined by measuring the torque exerted by a number of muscles about the ankle, knee and hip. Transmission of forces through complex or distributed tendons will be measured by implanted transducers. Reflex linkages between muscles will be investigated in decerebrate cats by applying selective length inputs to one muscle or compartment and recording the force response in the other at different forces and lengths and states of activation. The resulting torque profiles and reflex maps, along with dynamic properties of the limb, will provide basic data for the formulation of models which can explain how the action of spinal circuits contributes to coordinated limb movement and why reflex organization is modified for certain motor tasks, such as locomotion and turning. The global picture of reflex organization resulting from these studies can potentially guide the formulation of analytical models of information processing in the spinal cord as well as provide a basis for new approaches to the rehabilitation of injury to the motor system. The study of force transmission in tendons may suggest improvements in tendon transfer surgery.