Independent and Convergent Signals From the Pontomedullary Reticular Formation Contribute to the Control of Posture and Movement During Reaching in the Cat

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 2217-2238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bénédicte Schepens ◽  
Trevor Drew
Keyword(s):  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Behavioral Study ◽  
Reticulospinal Neurons ◽  
Reaching Task ◽  
Control Signals ◽  
Discharge Activity ◽  
Postural Responses ◽  
Reticular Neurons ◽  
Equilibrium Discharge

We have addressed the nature of the postural control signals contained within the discharge activity of neurons in the pontomedullary reticular formation, including reticulospinal neurons, during a reaching task in the cat. We recorded the activity of 142 neurons during ipsilateral reaching movements that required anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) in the supporting limbs to maintain equilibrium. Discharge activity in 82/142 (58%) neurons was significantly increased before the onset of the reach. Most of these neurons discharged either in a phasic (22/82), tonic (10/82), or phasic/tonic (41/82) pattern. In each of these 3 groups, the onset of the discharge activity in some neurons was temporally related either to the go signal or to the onset of the movement. In many neurons, one component of the discharge sequence was better related to the go signal and another to the onset of the movement. Based on our previous behavioral study during the same task, we suggest that reticular neurons in which the discharge activity is better related to the go signal contribute to the initiation of the APAs that precede the movement. Neurons in which the discharge activity is better related to the movement signal might contribute to the initiation of the movement and to the production of the postural responses that accompany that movement. Together our results suggest the existence of neurons that signal posture and movement independently and others that encode a convergent signal that contributes to the control of both posture and movement.

The Pontomedullary Reticular Formation Contributes to the Compensatory Postural Responses Observed Following Removal of the Support Surface in the Standing Cat

2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 1334-1350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Stapley ◽  
Trevor Drew
Keyword(s):  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Discharge Frequency ◽  
Secondary Response ◽  
Support Surface ◽  
Postural Response ◽  
Reticulospinal Neurons ◽  
Vertical Pressure ◽  
Postural Responses ◽  
Reticular Neurons ◽  
Increased Activity

This study was designed to determine the contribution of reticular neurons in the pontomedullary reticular formation (PMRF) to the postural responses produced to compensate for an unexpected perturbation. We recorded the activity of 48 neurons in the PMRF, including 41 reticulospinal neurons, to removal of the support surface under each of the four limbs in four cats. The perturbations produced robust postural responses that were divided into three periods: an initial postural response (P1) that displaced the center of vertical pressure over the two diagonal supporting limbs; a secondary response (P2) during which the cat restored a tripedal support pattern; and a prolonged tertiary response (P3) that maintained a stable posture over all three supporting limbs. Most (44/48) reticular neurons showed modified activity to perturbation of at least one limb and a majority (39/48) showed changes in activity to perturbations of more than one limb. A few (7/48) discharged to perturbations of all four limbs. Discharge frequency in neurons showing increased activity during P1 was relatively high (>100 Hz in 57% of the neurons responding to perturbations of either the left or right forelimbs, lFl and rFL) and of short latency (17 ms for the lFL and 14 ms for the rFL). Discharge activity in most neurons was sustained throughout P2 and P3 but at a reduced level. These data show that neurons in the PMRF discharge strongly in response to unexpected perturbations and in a manner consistent with a contribution to the compensatory responses that restore equilibrium.

Descending Signals From the Pontomedullary Reticular Formation Are Bilateral, Asymmetric, and Gated During Reaching Movements in the Cat

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 2229-2252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bénédicte Schepens ◽  
Trevor Drew
Keyword(s):  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Early Discharge ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Contralateral Limb ◽  
Discharge Activity ◽  
Spike Triggered Averaging ◽  
Extensor Muscles ◽  
Flexor Muscles ◽  
Reticular Neurons ◽  
Initial Change

We examined the contribution of neurons within the pontomedullary reticular formation (PMRF) to the control of reaching movements in the cat. We recorded the activity of 127 reticular neurons, including 56 reticulospinal neurons, during movements of each forelimb; 67/127 of these neurons discharged prior to the onset of activity in the prime flexor muscles during the reach of the ipsilateral limb and form the focus of this report. Most neurons (63/67) showed similar patterns and levels of discharge activity during reaches of either limb, although activity was slightly greater during reach of the ipsilateral limb. In 26/67 cells, the initial change in discharge activity was time-locked to the go signal during reaches of either limb; we have argued that this early discharge contributes to the anticipatory postural adjustments that precede movement. In 11/26 cells, the initial change in activity was reciprocal for reaches with the left and right limbs, although activity during the movement was nonreciprocal. Spike-triggered averaging produced postspike facilitation or depression (PSD) in 12/50 cells during reaches of the limb ipsilateral to the recording site and in 17/49 cells during reach of the contralateral limb. Some cells produced PSD in ipsilateral extensor muscles before the start of the reach and during reaches made with the contralateral, but not the ipsilateral limb; this suggests the signal must be differentially gated. Overall, the results suggest a strong bilateral, albeit asymmetric, contribution from the PMRF to the control of posture and movement during voluntary movement.

Horizontal Rotation Responses of Medullary Reticular Neurons in the Decerebrate Cat1

1995 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228
Author(s):  
Robert H. Schor ◽  
Bill J. Yates
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Semicircular Canal ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Response Dynamics ◽  
Medullary Reticular Formation ◽  
Decerebrate Cat ◽  
Reticular Neurons ◽  
Semicircular Canal Afferents

This study examines the response of neurons in the medullary reticular formation of the decerebrate cat to sinusoidal yaw rotations in the plane of the horizontal semicircular canals. Responsive neurons that could be antidromically activated from the spinal cord appeared to be less sensitive to the rotary stimulus than the rest of the population of responsive neurons. Most neurons had response dynamics similar to those of semicircular canal afferents.

scholarly journals Aging Does Not Affect Beta Modulation during Reaching Movements

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Ricci ◽  
Ramtin Mehraram ◽  
Elisa Tatti ◽  
Aaron B. Nelson ◽  
Martina Bossini-Baroggi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Modulation Depth ◽  
Movement Time ◽  
Peak Latency ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Performance Indices ◽  
Reaching Task ◽  
Beta Power ◽  
Total Movement ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Highly Correlated

During movement, modulation of beta power occurs over the sensorimotor areas, with a decrease just before its start (event-related desynchronization, ERD) and a rebound after its end (event-related synchronization, ERS). We have recently found that the depth of ERD-to-ERS modulation increases during practice in a reaching task and the following day decreases to baseline levels. Importantly, the magnitude of the beta modulation increase during practice is highly correlated with the retention of motor skill tested the following day. Together with other evidence, this suggests that the increase of practice-related modulation depth may be the expression of sensorimotor cortex’s plasticity. Here, we determine whether the practice-related increase of beta modulation depth is equally present in a group of younger and a group of older subjects during the performance of a 30-minute block of reaching movements. We focused our analyses on two regions of interest (ROIs): the left sensorimotor and the frontal region. Performance indices were significantly different in the two groups, with the movements of older subjects being slower and less accurate. Importantly, both groups presented a similar increase of the practice-related beta modulation depth in both ROIs in the course of the task. Peak latency analysis revealed a progressive delay of the ERS peak that correlated with the total movement time. Altogether, these findings support the notion that the depth of beta modulation in a reaching movement task does not depend on age and confirm previous findings that only ERS peak latency but not ERS magnitude is related to performance indices.

LES NEURONES DE LA FORMATION RÉTICULAIRE PONTO-BULBAIRE ET LA STIMULATION TRIGÉMINALE

1962 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 261-271
Author(s):  
Guy Lamarche ◽  
J.-M. Langlois
Keyword(s):  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Trigeminal Nerve ◽  
Neuronal Response ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Central Zone ◽  
Painful Stimulus ◽  
Inhibitory Zone ◽  
Sensory Afferents ◽  
Reticular Neurons

A microphysiological study of 209 neurons of the bulbopontine reticular formation was carried out in 80 "encéphales isolés" cats. After physiological stimulations of the trigeminal nerve the following conclusions were arrived at: (1) A functional arrangement exists in the lower recticular formation. Clear differences were found between the medulla and pons. (2) The pontine reticular neurons receive mostly tactile impulses from very large receptive fields. (3) The bulbar neurons receive all modalities of the trigeminal nerve from usually limited and bilateral fields (except proprioception). Pain projects mainly in this part of the reticular core. A central zone of the medulla has all physiological types of cells and is coincidental with Magoun and Rhine's inhibitory zone. (4) There was no neuronal response typical of any sensation. (5) An increase in frequency of a response was obtained in various ways: by changing the origin of the stimulus, by-increasing the intensity of the stimulus or the area of stimulation, or by applying a painful stimulus when the cell also responded to touch. (6) It is suggested that the sensory afferents lose their specificity when they reach the reticular formation but that via this formation they serve to increase awareness and perception of sensation at higher level.

scholarly journals Multimodal stimuli modulate rapid visual responses during reaching

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 1894-1908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel S. Glover ◽  
Stuart N. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Median Nerve ◽  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Visual Target ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Vestibular Stimulation ◽  
Auditory Stimuli ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
Reaching Task ◽  
Upper Limb Function

The reticulospinal tract plays an important role in primate upper limb function, but methods for assessing its activity are limited. One promising approach is to measure rapid visual responses (RVRs) in arm muscle activity during a visually cued reaching task; these may arise from a tecto-reticulospinal pathway. We investigated whether changes in reticulospinal excitability can be assessed noninvasively using RVRs, by pairing the visual stimuli of the reaching task with electrical stimulation of the median nerve, galvanic vestibular stimulation, or loud sounds, all of which are known to activate the reticular formation. Surface electromyogram (EMG) recordings were made from the right deltoid of healthy human subjects as they performed fast reaching movements toward visual targets. Stimuli were delivered up to 200 ms before target appearance, and RVR was quantified as the EMG amplitude in a window 75–125 ms after visual target onset. Median nerve, vestibular, and auditory stimuli all consistently facilitated the RVRs, as well as reducing the latency of responses. We propose that this facilitation reflects modulation of tecto-reticulospinal excitability, which is consistent with the idea that the amplitude of RVRs can be used to assess changes in brain stem excitability noninvasively in humans. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Short-latency responses in arm muscles evoked during a visually driven reaching task have previously been proposed to be tecto-reticulospinal in origin. We demonstrate that these responses can be facilitated by pairing the appearance of a visual target with stimuli that activate the reticular formation: median nerve, vestibular, and auditory stimuli. We propose that this reflects noninvasive measurement and modulation of reticulospinal excitability.

Application of Virtual Environments to Assessment of Human Motor Learning During Reaching Movements

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Asadi Nikooyan ◽  
Amir Abbas Zadpoor
Keyword(s):  
Force Field ◽  
Force Fields ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Viscous Force ◽  
Virtual Object ◽  
Learning Mechanisms ◽  
Reaching Task ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Virtual Force

This paper studies learning of reaching movements in a dynamically variable virtual environment specially designed for this purpose. Learning of reaching movements in the physical world has been extensively studied by several researchers. In most of those studies, the subjects are asked to exercise reaching movements while being exposed to real force fields exerted through a robotic manipulandum. Those studies have contributed to our understanding of the mechanisms used by the human cognitive system to learn reaching movements in the physical world. The question that remains to be answered is how the learning mechanism in the physical world relates to its counterpart in the virtual world where the real force fields are replaced by virtual force fields. A limited number of studies have already addressed this question and have shown that there are, actually, quite a number of relationships between the learning mechanisms in these two different environments. In this study, we are focused on gaining a more in-depth understanding of these relationships. In our experiments, the subjects are asked to guide a virtual object to a desired target on a computer screen using a mouse. The movement of the virtual object is affected by a viscous virtual force field that is sensed by the examinees through their visual system. Three groups of examinees are used for the experiments. All the examinees are first trained in the null-field condition. Then, the viscous force field is introduced either suddenly (for the two first groups) or gradually (for the last group). While the first and third groups of the examinees used their dominant arm to guide the virtual object in the second step, the second group used their nondominant arm. Generalization of the learning from the dominant to the nondominant arm and vice versa was studied in the third phase of the experiments. Finally, the force field was removed and the examinees were asked to repeat the reaching task to study the so-called aftereffects phenomenon. The results of the experiments are compared with the studies performed in the physical world. It is shown that the trends of learning and generalization are similar to what is observed in the physical world for a sudden application of the virtual force field. However, the generalization behavior of the examinees is somewhat different from the physical world if the force field is gradually applied.

Discharge patterns of reticulospinal and other reticular neurons in chronic, unrestrained cats walking on a treadmill

1986 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Drew ◽  
R. Dubuc ◽  
S. Rossignol
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Muscular Activity ◽  
Step Cycle ◽  
Medullary Reticular Formation ◽  
Locomotor Rhythm ◽  
Reticulospinal Neurons ◽  
Discharge Patterns

Recordings were made from single units in the medullary reticular formation (MRF) between AP-4.2 and AP-12.9 and from the midline to 3.7 mm lateral in chronically prepared, unrestrained cats walking on a treadmill. Recordings were made with rigid microelectrodes held in a microdrive, and reticulospinal neurons were identified by antidromic stimulation of their axons through microwires chronically implanted into the spinal cord at the L2 level. Electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded from flexor and extensor muscles of the fore- and hindlimbs as well as from back and neck muscles. In total, 295 cells were recorded from 40 penetrations in 4 cats; 252 of these cells were recorded from the more medial regions of the reticular formation encompassing the gigantocellular, magnocellular, and lateral tegmental fields; 38.5% of these (97/252) were antidromically identified from the spinal cord. The remaining 43 neurons (43/295) were recorded from a more lateral and ventral position. These medial and ventrolateral groups of neurons differed not only in position but also in aspects of their discharge during locomotion. Rank-ordered raster displays, triggered from the onset of each recorded muscle, were used to correlate neuronal and muscular activity. The discharge rate of 31% of the reticulospinal neurons (30/97) was modulated once or twice in each step cycle and was strictly related to one or more of the recorded EMGs (EMG-related neurons) on the basis of the pattern of discharge. The discharge of 33/97 (34%) of the neurons was modulated at the periodicity of the locomotor rhythm but could not be correlated with any of the recorded EMGs (locomotor-related cells), whereas the remaining 34/97 neurons (35%) were either silent, fired tonically, or were not related to the locomotor pattern (unrelated cells). Of the EMG-related neurons 27% were related to flexor muscles and the remaining 63% to extensor muscle activity. The discharge pattern of all except two of the flexor-related neurons was correlated with hindlimb muscle activity, whereas that of the extensor-related neurons was correlated almost equally with fore- and hindlimb muscles. Correlations were found with muscles lying both ipsilaterally and contralaterally to the site of the recordings. Although the locomotor-related neurons showed no preferential relation with any of the recorded EMGs, a comparison of the depth of modulation of their discharge measured from postevent histograms suggested that more of these cells were related to the forelimb than to the hindlimb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document