Neuromechanical Interaction in Cyclic Movements

Abstract

Cyclic behaviors, such as breathing, chewing, and locomotion, serve our basic needs for respiration, nutrition, and transportation. They are performed on a daily basis in a wide variety of situations and often for extended periods of time. Therefore, the mechanisms by which they are generated must be reliable, versatile, durable, and efficient. In some cases, these specific needs have resulted in the evolutionary development of specialized neural, muscular, and/or skeletal structures.