CONTROL OF BODY MOVEMENT AND POSTURE

Introduction
oCoordinated

movement in a body is a complicated process and involves nerves muscles and bones.

 The skeletal muscle contraction in the body is controlled through the motor unit which includes a single motor neuron and all the muscle fibres supplied by it and all the motor neuron for a given muscle make up a motor neuron pool.

When all the motor neuron in a pool get activated at one time leads to a coarse movement.Therefore the skeletal muscle activity depends ultimately upon the pattern and rate of discharge of motor neuron. Inputs(information)to each spinal motor neuron end directly on alpha motor neurons which innervate the extrafusal muscle fibre which form the final common pathway over which the neural control system coordinates the activity of skeletal muscle fibres.

Alpha motor neuron

skeletal muscle contraction

skeletal muscle relaxation

Therefore alpha motor neuron is the final common pathway serving both As integrating centre and efferent pathway.

Many other inputs exert their effects via interneurons or via gamma motor neurons which innervates the intrafusal muscle fibre. ipsilateral inputs (from same side of body) contralateral inputs (from opposite side of body)

Stretch reflex,tone And posture(muscle Spindle) Flexion reflex,noxious Stimuli(skin) Relax antagonist (muscle spindle) Tendon reflex

Spinal alpha motor neuron

crossed extensor reflex

tendon reflex

recurrent inhibition through renshaw cell

final common pathway

Major inputs to the cell body of a single spinal motor neuron

Voluntary movement is planned within brain and the commands are sent to muscles via descending pathways or motor pathways as follows:

IN BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD

anterior descending pathway

lateral pathways

concerned with the control of muscles of trunk and proximal parts of limbs.

concerned with the control of distal group of muscles.

control posture regulating system for postural adjustments and gross movements.

control fine,skilled movements.

.levels of organization of neural system controlling body movement Levels of motor control system

Highest level: The cerebral cortex

Middle level: subcortical centers

Via descending pathway

Brain stem and spinal cord

Association cortex
Other brain areas

Sensory motor cortex

Spinal cord
Motor neurons

1.Subcortical nuclei 2.Brain stem.

Muscle fibres

Receptors in muscles, tendons,joints, skin.

cerebellum

Basal ganglia

Cerebral cortex

generate idea for voluntary movement and issue motor commands. convert complex plans and ideas generated in cerebral cortex into number of smaller motor programmes which determines the pattern of neural activation required to perform the movement.

Subcortical centres i.e sensory motor cortex, Cerebellum,basal ganglia, Subcortical nuclei.

Brain stem and spinal cord

major relay station for all motor commands. smaller motor programmes generated at subcortical level results into execution of movement. at this level.

In this block diagram is shown that after the initial motor programme is Implemented and the action has begun,those brain regions concerned with Motor control continue to receive a constant feedback of updated information From the receptors in periphery in the form of peripheral sensory input about the movements taking place.

CONTROL OF BODY POSTURE

Postural reflexes Posture is the support and balance to body weight against gravity performed by muscles.

 Body posture is controlled by brain and reflex mechanism. Reflex mechanisms are concerned with maintaining upright static posture and that of maintaining balance. Postural reflexes These are the group of reflexes which maintains body position and equilibrium either during rest or during movement by changing the distribution of muscle tone in limbs and trunks. Components of reflex arc in postural reflex: Afferent pathway eyes vestibular appratus proprioceptors Integrating centre

Efferent pathway

alpha motor neuron

In the above flowchart afferent pathways are the inputs received from Eyes,the vestibular appratus and proprioceptors which are relayed to the Higher integrating centre i.e brain stem and spinal cord which further results Into execution of motor task via efferent pathway or motor pathway.

Postural reflex has two adjustment components:

Static reflexes It involves sustained contraction of musculature for upright balanced position and maintain a stable possible background for voluntary activity.

phasic reflexes Involve transient movements on base provided by the static reflexes to the body.

A major factor in control of posture is variation in the threshold of the spinal Stretch reflex.this in turn is caused by: 1. Changes in excitability of motor neurons;and 2. Changes in the rate of discharge in the gamma motor neurons to muscle spindles. Gamma motor neurons activity is regulated to a large degree by descending tracts from number of areas in the brain.

Thus the sensitivity of muscle spindle and hence the threshold of spinal Stretch reflex in various parts of the body can be adjusted and shifted to Meet the needs of postural control. Postural reflexs are integrated at various levels in CNS from the spinal cord to cerebral cortex
Levels of integration Principle function Control of spinal reflexes Regulation of heart,respiration and antigravity reflexes. Regulation of rightning reflexes Regulation of locomotor reflexes Emotional functions

1. Spinal cord 2. medulla 3. midbrain 4. midbrain,thalamus 5. hypothalamus,limbic system 6. Cerebral cortex

Initiates involuntary movements,emotions and memory involved in conditioned reflexes

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