Pattern generating networks in the human lumbar spinal cord: Electrophysiology and computer modeling

Abstract

Epidural spinal cord stimulation can produce rhythmic motor output to the lower limbs of motor complete spinal cord injury people. The electromyographically recorded activity consists of a series of modulated stimulus time-related compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs). Here, we investigate phase dependent modification of the CMAP latencies and present a computer model that mechanistically describes putative locomotor pattern generating circuitries of the human lumbar spinal cord. Thereby we gained insight into the organization of the human spinal pattern generating networks, revealed common control characteristics with the central pattern generators for locomotion described in animal experimental work and highlighted specifities of the studied model. © 2013 by Walter de Gruyter.