Topic: musculoskeletal model

Humans can perform movements in various physical environments and various positions. The interaction of the musculoskeletal system, the neural system and the external environment is necessary to generate such movements. The neural system is itself comprised of several interactive components, from the brain mainly conducting motor planning, to the spinal cord (SC) implementing its own motor control centres through sensory reflexes. Nevertheless, it is unclear which modulation of the brain commands or of the spinal circuits can generate similar movements in various environments.Here, we addresse

Locomotion of animals is controlled by central pattern generators (CPGs) located in the spinal cord. Afferent feedback allows animals to adapt locomotion to the environment. Responses of neural activities to afferent feedback stimulation have been previously examined during fictive locomotion in immobilized cats. However, the locomotion of behaving animals is governed by dynamic interactions between central neuronal circuits, afferent feedback, the musculoskeletal system, and the environment. To study the specific role of afferent feedback in these interactions, we created a neuromusculoskelet