| Title |
Nugaros smegenų neuronų tinklo veikimo principai: somatosensorinės informacijos integracija ir aktyvumo išplitimas / |
| Translation of Title |
The organisation principles of spinal neural network: temporal integration of somatosensory input and distribution of network activity. |
| Authors |
Guzulaitis, Robertas |
| Full Text |
|
| Pages |
125 |
| Keywords [eng] |
motoneuron ; central pattern generator ; spinal cord ; neural network |
| Abstract [eng] |
Spinal cord integrates somatosensory information and generates coordinated motor responses. Temporal integration can be used for discrimination of important stimuli from noise. Here it is shown that temporal integration of somatosensory inputs in sub second time scale is possible without changes of intrinsic properties of motoneurons. The activity of premotor neurons increases during temporal integration and can be a mechanism for short term information storage in spinal cord. Suppression of motor activity after painful somatosensory stimulus is called cutaneous silent period. This motor suppression is well described in humans and used for diagnostics. However it is not known if the suppression of motor activity is due to inhibition of motoneurons or reduction of excitatory drive from premotor neurons. Here it is shown that motoneurons are inhibited during cutaneous silent period. Neural networks of spinal cord not only process somatosensory information but generate locomotion and reflexes too. It is accepted that neural networks controlling front and hind limb movements are located in cervical and lumbar enlargements respectfully. Here it is shown that thoracic segments of spinal cord contribute to hind limb movements as well. It means that neural network generating movements is much more widely distributed than previously thought. |
| Type |
Doctoral thesis |
| Language |
Lithuanian |
| Publication date |
2013 |
