Vestibulospinal and Corticospinal Modulation of Lumbosacral Network Excitability in Human Subjects

This study explores how signals from the brain (corticospinal pathways) and inner ear (vestibulospinal pathways) affect the nerves in the lower back that control leg movement. The researchers used electrical stimulation to activate these pathways and measured the responses in leg muscles. The study found that stimulating the brain and inner ear resulted in facilitation of spinally evoked motor potentials in leg muscles. The timing of these responses differed depending on whether the brain or inner ear was stimulated, suggesting that different pathways are involved. This research helps us better understand how the brain and spinal cord work together to control movement, which could be useful for developing new treatments for neurological conditions and spinal cord injuries.

• 1
  Corticospinal volleys facilitate spinally evoked motor potentials at short latencies (10-30 ms).
• 2
  Vestibulospinal volleys facilitate spinally evoked motor potentials at longer latencies (90-250 ms).
• 3
  The greatest magnitude of conditioning always occurred at or near the maximum rate of recruitment.