Common synaptic input, synergies and size principle: Control of spinal motor neurons for movement generation

Hug, François ; Avrillon, Simon ; Ibáñez, Jaime (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Farina, Dario

Resumen: Understanding how movement is controlled by the CNS remains a major challenge, with ongoing debate about basic features underlying this control. In current established views, the concepts of motor neuron recruitment order, common synaptic input to motor neurons and muscle synergies are usually addressed separately and therefore seen as independent features of motor control. In this review, we analyse the body of literature in a broader perspective and we identify a unified approach to explain apparently divergent observations at different scales of motor control. Specifically, we propose a new conceptual framework of the neural control of movement, which merges the concept of common input to motor neurons and modular control, together with the constraints imposed by recruitment order. This framework is based on the following assumptions: (1) motor neurons are grouped into functional groups (clusters) based on the common inputs they receive; (2) clusters may significantly differ from the classical definition of motor neuron pools, such that they may span across muscles and/or involve only a portion of a muscle; (3) clusters represent functional modules used by the CNS to reduce the dimensionality of the control; and (4) selective volitional control of single motor neurons within a cluster receiving common inputs cannot be achieved. Here, we discuss this framework and its underlying theoretical and experimental evidence.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1113/JP283698

Año: 2023

Publicado en: JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON 601, 1 (2023), 11-20
ISSN: 0022-3751

Factor impacto JCR: 4.7 (2023)

Categ. JCR: PHYSIOLOGY rank: 10 / 85 = 0.118 (2023) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: NEUROSCIENCES rank: 63 / 310 = 0.203 (2023) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 9.7 - Physiology (Q1)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.708 - Sports Science (Q1) - Physiology (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/847648 /EU/Junior Leader la Caixa Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme: Shaping the new generation of leaders in research/JUNIOR LEADER

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Teoría Señal y Comunicac. (Dpto. Ingeniería Electrón.Com.)