Neuromechanics of muscle synergies for posture and movement

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Lena Ting, Emory University; J. Lucas McKay, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2007-12-01
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2008.01.002
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Current Opinion in Neurobiology
• ISSN: 0959-4388
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 6
• Start Page: 622
• End Page: 628
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by NIH grants HD-46922 and NS-053822.
• Keywords: Neurosciences; Science & Technology; NATURAL MOTOR BEHAVIORS; RESPONSES; FORCE; ORGANIZATION; SPINAL-CORD; Neurosciences & Neurology; MODEL; JOINT ANGLE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; COORDINATION; ACTIVATION PATTERNS; SENSORIMOTOR CONTROL
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical

Abstract

Recent research suggests that the nervous system controls muscles by activating flexible combinations of muscle synergies to produce a wide repertoire of movements. Muscle synergies are like building blocks, defining characteristic patterns of activation across multiple muscles that may be unique to each individual, but perform similar functions. The identification of muscle synergies has strong implications for the organization and structure of the nervous system, providing a mechanism by which task-level motor intentions are translated into detailed, low-level muscle activation patterns. Understanding the complex interplay between neural circuits and biomechanics that give rise to muscle synergies will be crucial to advancing our understanding of neural control mechanisms for movement.