Locomotion centers

1996/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Anatomia/Fisiologia

When the rat runs, he does not need to use his brain, action that the central nervous system automatically governs. However, scientists did not know where muscle driving centers were to cause locomotion. However, researchers from the Laboratory of Neurobiology of the CNRS of Marseille have discovered a well-defined area of ventral-lumbar roots in the spinal cord of the newborn rat.

For the first time such an exact location has been found, but much work is still needed to determine whether or not locomotion centers exist in other species such as humans. The ultimate goal is to better understand paraplegia (paralysis of the legs) and try to find remedy.