PROPERTIES OF THE MAMMALIAN SPINAL LOCOMOTOR NETWORK

描述：(改编自申请者摘要) 组成哺乳动物中枢神经系统的脊髓中间神经元的身份 用于运动的模式发生器(CPG)在很大程度上还不清楚。这是众所周知的 脑干驱动中心可以激活CPG，私家侦探建议 下行单胺能通路重塑脊髓中央节段的运动，并可能 在促进中央人民政府内部互动方面发挥作用，使其能够 有节奏的输出。提出了四个主要目标，并增加了 分析： 1)识别在运动程序中激活的神经元 活性依赖染料磺胺类，并分析其调节作用。 单胺类化合物及其激动剂对配体门控和电压门控电导的影响 这些神经元。 2)确定单胺类物质对燃烧性能的影响 运动相关的中间神经元，特别是寻找条件性爆发 属性。 3)确定负责激活运动的5-羟色胺受体亚型 CPG，特别强调5HT-7受体是关键的假说 运动节律的发生。 4)确定运动时活跃的中间神经元是否表达5HT-7 受体，然后可以作为CPG神经元的标记物。 这些研究将有助于我们对运动的中央人民政府的理解 并有助于脊髓损伤后的恢复。具体来说， 促进CPG激活的药物治疗策略可能有助于有限的 在激活运动过程中大脑的重新连接。此外, CPG内神经元的鉴定和特征可能有助于 未来的研究涉及到未来的神经元移植。

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.