Spinal Motor Circuits Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 main neural circuits controlling vertebrate movement?

A

Higher control circuits
Brainstem-spinal cord circuits
Spinal cord circuits
Spino-muscular circuits

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2
Q

What is the role of higher control circuits and where do they receive inputs from?

A

Intention and movement selection

Visual inputs

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3
Q

What is the role of brainstem-spinal cord circuits and where do they receive inputs from?

A

Integrate inputs - generate command

Auditory, limb sensory afferent inputs

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4
Q

What is the role of spinal cord circuits and where do they receive inputs from?

A

Organise commands

Limb sensory afferent inputs

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5
Q

What is the role of spino-muscular circuits and where do they receive inputs from?

A

Effectors

Limb sensory afferent inputs - affect this input

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6
Q

Where is there a large proportion of white matter in the spinal cord?

A

Upper cervical region

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7
Q

Where is there a small proportion of white matter in the spinal cord?

A

Sacral region

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8
Q

What was Sherrington’s theory of locomotion?

A

Locomotion controlled by sequence of reflexes

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9
Q

What was Brown’s theory of locomotion?

A

Locomotion controlled by CPGs in spinal cord - not reflexes

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10
Q

What is the current view of locomotion?

A

Sherrington reflex control vs Brown central control is false dichotomy
Spinal cord can produce rhythm and pattern of locomotion
But sensory inputs required for normal locomotion

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11
Q

Define a motor unit

A

Motor neuron and muscle fibres it innervates

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12
Q

What are the 3 muscle fibre types?

A

Slow twitch
Intermediate
Fast twitch

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13
Q

What are the characteristics of slow twitch muscle fibres?

A

Many mitochondria
Weak, slow, sustained contraction
Slow MN

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14
Q

What are the characteristics of intermediate muscle fibres?

A

Fast-resistant MN

Intermediate properties

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15
Q

What are the characteristics of fast twitch muscle fibres?

A

Few mitochondria
Powerful, fast, brief contraction
Fast-fatiguable MN

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16
Q

What do muscle spindles detect?

A

Stretch

17
Q

What type of MNs innervate muscle spindles and what is their role?

A

Gamma MNs

Control spindle contraction - controls length - controls sensitivity

18
Q

What do the 2 types of sensory fibres in a muscle spindle detect?

A

Muscle length

Contraction speed

19
Q

What is state dependence?

A

Neuronal networks respond differently to inputs depending on their state

20
Q

What are the 4 fundamental classes of ventral horn interneurons?

A

V0, V1, V2, V3

21
Q

What are the roles of V0 interneurons in locomotion?

A

Commissural inhibitory

Left-right alternation

22
Q

What are the roles of V1 interneurons in locomotion?

A

Ipsilateral inhibitory

Speed, flexor-extensor driven movements

23
Q

What are the roles of V2 interneurons in locomotion?

A

Some excitatory - left-right alternation

Some inhibitory - flexor-extensor driven movements

24
Q

What are the roles of V3 interneurons in locomotion?

A

Mainly commissural excitatory - some ipsilateral

Locomotion robustness

25
Q

Where do d13 interneurons receive inputs from?

A

Peripheral excitatory inputs from muscle and non-muscle afferents

26
Q

What is the role of d13 interneurons?

A

Mediate disynaptic excitatory cutaneous reflexes - e.g. grasp reflex

27
Q

Are d13 interneurons excitatory/inhibitory?

A

Excitatory

28
Q

What is the role of comparator neurons? Give an example of an comparator neruon type

A

Integrate predicted and actual sensory activity - enable adaptation of motor behaviour
e.g. d13 interneurons

29
Q

What is needed for short-term motor behaviour adaptation/longer-term motor plasticity?

A

Sensory feedback

Feedforward motor efference copy