When networks walk a fine line: balance of excitation and inhibition in spinal motor circuits

Rune W. Berg; Alex Willumsen; Henrik Lindén

doi:10.1016/j.cophys.2019.01.006

When networks walk a fine line: balance of excitation and inhibition in spinal motor circuits

Rune W. Berg, Alex Willumsen, Henrik Lindén

Neuronal Signalling

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Investigations on spinal motor circuits have primarily been related to direct connections to motoneurons and supraspinal input, while the motor pattern generation circuit itself has remained elusive. In the classical half-center model (HCM), motor patterns are generated by feedforward excitation with reciprocal inhibition. However, experiments over the last decade have indicated that inhibition, besides providing reciprocal coordination, may serve additional roles similar to that seen in the brain. Such organization relies on recurrent inhibition to give stability of the spiking activity manifested by simultaneous increases in excitation and inhibition within the network, that is, a ‘balanced network’. Here we discuss the theoretical concepts and experimental data for and against this architecture in motor circuits, and suggest how it can be integrated in the conventional HCM.

Original language	English
Journal	Current Opinion in Physiology
Volume	8
Pages (from-to)	76-83
Number of pages	8
ISSN	2468-8681
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cophys.2019.01.006
Publication status	Published - 2019

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10.1016/j.cophys.2019.01.006

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title = "When networks walk a fine line: balance of excitation and inhibition in spinal motor circuits",

abstract = "Investigations on spinal motor circuits have primarily been related to direct connections to motoneurons and supraspinal input, while the motor pattern generation circuit itself has remained elusive. In the classical half-center model (HCM), motor patterns are generated by feedforward excitation with reciprocal inhibition. However, experiments over the last decade have indicated that inhibition, besides providing reciprocal coordination, may serve additional roles similar to that seen in the brain. Such organization relies on recurrent inhibition to give stability of the spiking activity manifested by simultaneous increases in excitation and inhibition within the network, that is, a {\textquoteleft}balanced network{\textquoteright}. Here we discuss the theoretical concepts and experimental data for and against this architecture in motor circuits, and suggest how it can be integrated in the conventional HCM.",

author = "Berg, {Rune W.} and Alex Willumsen and Henrik Lind{\'e}n",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - When networks walk a fine line

T2 - balance of excitation and inhibition in spinal motor circuits

AU - Berg, Rune W.

AU - Willumsen, Alex

AU - Lindén, Henrik

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Investigations on spinal motor circuits have primarily been related to direct connections to motoneurons and supraspinal input, while the motor pattern generation circuit itself has remained elusive. In the classical half-center model (HCM), motor patterns are generated by feedforward excitation with reciprocal inhibition. However, experiments over the last decade have indicated that inhibition, besides providing reciprocal coordination, may serve additional roles similar to that seen in the brain. Such organization relies on recurrent inhibition to give stability of the spiking activity manifested by simultaneous increases in excitation and inhibition within the network, that is, a ‘balanced network’. Here we discuss the theoretical concepts and experimental data for and against this architecture in motor circuits, and suggest how it can be integrated in the conventional HCM.

AB - Investigations on spinal motor circuits have primarily been related to direct connections to motoneurons and supraspinal input, while the motor pattern generation circuit itself has remained elusive. In the classical half-center model (HCM), motor patterns are generated by feedforward excitation with reciprocal inhibition. However, experiments over the last decade have indicated that inhibition, besides providing reciprocal coordination, may serve additional roles similar to that seen in the brain. Such organization relies on recurrent inhibition to give stability of the spiking activity manifested by simultaneous increases in excitation and inhibition within the network, that is, a ‘balanced network’. Here we discuss the theoretical concepts and experimental data for and against this architecture in motor circuits, and suggest how it can be integrated in the conventional HCM.

U2 - 10.1016/j.cophys.2019.01.006

DO - 10.1016/j.cophys.2019.01.006

M3 - Review

AN - SCOPUS:85061791043

SN - 2468-8681

VL - 8

SP - 76

EP - 83

JO - Current Opinion in Physiology

JF - Current Opinion in Physiology

ER -

When networks walk a fine line: balance of excitation and inhibition in spinal motor circuits

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