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Initiation of Locomotor Activity in Decerebrate and Spinal Cats Using Noninvasive Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation of the Spinal Cord

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Spinal neural networks activated by epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord (ESSC) are known to be able to take part in generating the stepping EMG pattern and controlling locomotor behavior. We show here that noninvasive transcutaneous stimulation of the spinal cord (TES) in the lumbosacral enlargement area can initiate locomotor activity in decerebrate and spinal animals. Comparison of motor responses in ESSC and TES showed them to have similar reflex mechanisms, as well as similarities in the properties of the locomotor patterns. Our data support the view that TES is an effective approach for further studies of locomotor control in acute and chronic experiments. Considering the noninvasive nature and relative simplicity of using TES, this method may be suitable for further use in clinical practice in the rehabilitation of patients with vertebrospinal pathology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia

    P. E. Musienko, I. N. Bogacheva, A. A. Savokhin, V. A. Kilimnik, O. V. Gorskii, O. A. Nikitin & Yu. P. Gerasimenko

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  1. P. E. Musienko
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  2. I. N. Bogacheva
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  3. A. A. Savokhin
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  4. V. A. Kilimnik
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  5. O. V. Gorskii
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  6. O. A. Nikitin
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  7. Yu. P. Gerasimenko
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to I. N. Bogacheva.

Additional information

Translated from Rossiiskii Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal imeni I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 99, No. 8, pp. 917–927, August, 2013.

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Musienko, P.E., Bogacheva, I.N., Savokhin, A.A. et al. Initiation of Locomotor Activity in Decerebrate and Spinal Cats Using Noninvasive Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation of the Spinal Cord. Neurosci Behav Physi 45, 505–511 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-015-0102-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-015-0102-z

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