Electrocortical activity in freely walking rats varies with environmental conditions.

Electrocortical activity in freely walking rats varies with environmental conditions. Brain Res. 2020 Oct 30;:147188 Authors: Li B, Liu S, Hu D, Li G, Tang R, Song D, Lang Y, He J Abstract Longstanding theories in the field of neurophysiology have held that walking in rats is an unconscious, rhythmic locomotion that does not require cortical involvement. However, recent studies have suggested that the extent of cortical involvement during walking actually varies depending on the environmental conditions. To determine the impact of environmental conditions on cortical engagement in freely walking rats, we recorded limb kinematics and signals from implanted electroencephalography arrays in rats performing a series of natural behaviors. We found that rat gaits were significantly different across various locomotion terrains (e.g. walking on an upslope vs. downslope). Further, rat forelimbs and hindlimbs showed similar patterns of motion. The results also suggested that rat cortical engagement during walking varied across environmental conditions. Specifically, α band power significantly increased during 30° downslope walking in the posterior parietal, left secondary motor, and left somatosensory clusters. Additionally, during 30° upslope walking, the β band power was greater in the left primary motor and left and right secondary motor sources. Further, rats walking on up- or downslopes of varying steepness were found to have differen...
Source: Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research