L-DOPA-induced air-stepping in the preweanling rat: electromyographic and kinematic analyses

Ontogenetic changes in intralimb coordination may result from maturation of the central pattern for locomotion, maturation of peripheral efferents, changes in afferent modulation of the centrally generated pattern, interactions with the substrate, biomechanical changes within the limb itself, or a c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBehavioral neuroscience Vol. 114; no. 6; p. 1174
Main Authors Tucker, L B, Stehouwer, D J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.2000
Subjects
Afferent Pathways - drug effects
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Biomechanical Phenomena
Electromyography - drug effects
Female
Hindlimb - innervation
Joints - innervation
Levodopa - pharmacology
Locomotion - drug effects
Male
Motor Neurons - drug effects
Motor Skills - drug effects
Muscle, Skeletal - innervation
Nervous System - drug effects
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Summary:Ontogenetic changes in intralimb coordination may result from maturation of the central pattern for locomotion, maturation of peripheral efferents, changes in afferent modulation of the centrally generated pattern, interactions with the substrate, biomechanical changes within the limb itself, or a combination of these. Electromyograms obtained from three hindlimb extensors of rats on Postnatal Days (PND) 5, 10, 15, or 20, during episodes of coordinated L-DOPA-induced air-stepping, showed that muscle activation preceded extension of the corresponding joints at all ages. The delay between the onset of extensor activity and the onset of joint extension increased during ontogeny and was greatest at PND 20. Ontogenetic changes in the relative timing of muscle activity and corresponding joint movements probably resulted from changes in biomechanical factors, changes in afferent modulation of central motor output, or both.
ISSN:0735-7044
DOI:10.1037/0735-7044.114.6.1174