PROPERTIES OF THE MAMMALIAN SPINAL LOCOMOTOR NETWORK

描述：（改编自申请人摘要） 构成哺乳动物中枢神经系统的脊髓中间神经元的特性 用于运动的模式发生器（CPG）在很大程度上仍然未知。已知 脑干驱动中心可以激活CPG和PI提出 下行单胺能通路重塑脊髓CPG的运动， 发挥作用，促进中央人民政府内部的互动，使其能够产生 节奏输出提出了四个主要目标， 分析： 1)识别在运动程序期间活跃的神经元， 活性依赖性染料磺酰罗丹明，并分析的调节作用， 单胺及其激动剂对配体和电压门控电导的影响 这些神经元。 2)测定了单胺对烧结性能的影响， 运动相关的中间神经元，特别是寻找条件性爆发 特性. 3)识别负责激活运动的5 HT受体亚型 CPG，特别强调5 HT-7受体是关键的假设 到运动节律的形成 4)确定在运动过程中活跃的中间神经元是否表达5 HT-7 受体，然后可以作为标记物的CPG神经元。 这些研究将有助于我们对运动CPG的理解 并且可以帮助脊髓损伤后的恢复。具体地说， 促进CPG激活的药理学策略可能有助于有限的 重新连接大脑来激活运动。此外，本发明还提供了一种方法， CPG中神经元的识别和表征可能有助于 未来的研究涉及神经元移植。

DESCRIPTION:(adapted from applicant's abstract) The identity of the spinal interneurons that comprise the mammalian central pattern generator (CPG) for locomotion remains largely unknown. It is known that brainstem drive centers can activate the CPG, and the P.I. proposes that descending monoaminergic pathways remodel the spinal CPG for locomotion and may play a role in facilitating interactions within the CPG to allow it to generate rhythmic output. Four major aims are proposed, with increasing levels of analysis: 1) Identify neurons active during the locomotor program using the activity-dependent dye sulforhodamine, and analyze the modulatory actions of monoamines and their agonists on ligand- and voltage-gated conductances in these neurons. 2) Determine the effects of monoamines on the firing properties of locomotor-related interneurons, specifically looking for conditional bursting properties. 3) Identify the 5HT receptor subtypes responsible for activating the locomotor CPG, with specific emphasis on the hypothesis that 5HT-7 receptors are critical to locomotor rhythmogenesis. 4) Determine whether interneurons active during locomotion express 5HT-7 receptors, which could then serve as markers for CPG neurons. These studies will contribute to our understanding of the CPG for locomotion and could aid in recovery after spinal cord injury. Specifically, pharmacotherapeutic strategies to facilitate CPG activation may assist limited reconnections from the brain in activating locomotion. In addition, identification and characterization of the neurons in the CPG may be helpful in future studies involving transplantation of the neurons in the future.