title: Plasticity of functional connectivity in the adult spinal cord.
abstract: This paper emphasizes several characteristics of the neural control of locomotion that provide opportunities for developing strategies to maximize the recovery of postural and locomotor functions after a spinal cord injury (SCI). The major points of this paper are: (i) the circuitry that controls standing and stepping is extremely malleable and reflects a continuously varying combination of neurons that are activated when executing stereotypical movements; (ii) the connectivity between neurons is more accurately perceived as a functional rather than as an anatomical phenomenon; (iii) the functional connectivity that controls standing and stepping reflects the physiological state of a given assembly of synapses, where the probability of these synaptic events is not deterministic; (iv) rather, this probability can be modulated by other factors such as pharmacological agents, epidural stimulation and/or motor training; (v) the variability observed in the kinematics of consecutive steps reflects a fundamental feature of the neural control system and (vi) machine-learning theories elucidate the need to accommodate variability in developing strategies designed to enhance motor performance by motor training using robotic devices after an SCI.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Option, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125-4100, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Courtine
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Burdick
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Edgerton
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*