Spinal motoneurons of the human newborn are highly synchronized during leg movements

Science Advances
A Del VecchioDario Farina

Abstract

Motoneurons of neonatal rodents show synchronous activity that modulates the development of the neuromuscular system. However, the characteristics of the activity of human neonatal motoneurons are largely unknown. Using a noninvasive neural interface, we identified the discharge timings of individual spinal motoneurons in human newborns. We found highly synchronized activities of motoneurons of the tibialis anterior muscle, which were associated with fast leg movements. Although neonates' motor units exhibited discharge rates similar to those of adults, their synchronization was significantly greater than in adults. Moreover, neonatal motor units showed coherent oscillations in the delta band, which is directly translated into force generation. These results suggest that motoneuron synchronization in human neonates might be an important mechanism for controlling fast limb movements, such as those of primitive reflexes. In addition to help revealing mechanisms of development, the proposed neural interface might monitor children at risk of developing motor disorders.

References

Oct 1, 1969·The Journal of Physiology·P M Rack, D R Westbury
Mar 17, 2000·Neuron·J W Lichtman, H Colman
Sep 21, 2002·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Mario BuffelliAlberto Cangiano
Feb 1, 1960·The Journal of Physiology·A J BULLERR M ECCLES
Jul 13, 2004·Pediatric Neurology·Dimitrios I Zafeiriou
Aug 19, 2007·Nature·Jaime de la RochaAlex Reyes
Nov 19, 2011·Science·Nadia DominiciFrancesco Lacquaniti
Jun 13, 2015·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Juan A GallegoDario Farina
Sep 5, 2015·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Christopher M LaineDario Farina
May 7, 2016·The Journal of Physiology·Francesco NegroDario Farina
Oct 22, 2017·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Dario FarinaOskar Aszmann
May 5, 2018·The Journal of Physiology·Christopher K ThompsonCharles J Heckman
Aug 22, 2018·Nature Neuroscience·Alexander MathisMatthias Bethge
Apr 15, 2020·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Francesca Sylos-LabiniFrancesco Lacquaniti
May 22, 2020·Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology : Official Journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology·A Del VecchioD Farina

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 9, 2021·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience·Arthur H DewolfFrancesco Lacquaniti
Dec 29, 2020·Frontiers in Neurology·Germana CappelliniYury Ivanenko
Jun 12, 2021·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Sebastien B HausmannMackenzie W Mathis

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

MATLAB
OT
DeepLabCut

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Brain Lower Grade Glioma

Low grade gliomas in the brain form from oligodendrocytes and astrocytes and are the slowest-growing glioma in adults. Discover the latest research on these brain tumors here.

Related Papers

International Review of Neurobiology
Matthias Landgraf, Stefan Thor
Progress in Neurobiology
R Monteau, G Hilaire
The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
Marin ManuelDaniel Zytnicki
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved