Analysis of corticospinal/corticoreticular tract functions in monkey bipedal walking by tract specific genetic disruption

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11583
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59030:Physical education, and physical and health education-related
• Research Institution: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Takashi 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (90582651)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ニホンザル / 四足歩行 / 二足歩行 / 姿勢変換 / トレッドミル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Amidst this research, a monkey, which had been trained extensively for stable bipedal locomotion, unfortunately passed away. Consequently, it was very difficult to perform genetic dissection of the corticospinal tract and corticoreticular tract which was considered to contribute to movement and postural control during bipedal locomotion using the Japanese monkey bipedal model.
Concurrently with the above-mentioned experiments, we performed kinematic analysis of the transformation from quadrupedal to bipedal gait to uncover the neural mechanisms involved in movement and postural control during continuous locomotion. Our findings revealed that the transformation was started by touchdown of either hindlimb, accompanied by gradual alterations in the degrees of hip, knee, and ankle joints movements, as well as changes in muscle activities of the forelimbs, hindlimbs, and trunk toward following the bipedal locomotion.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

二足歩行を成立させるシステムは複数の神経領域が統合して機能することが知られている。しかしながら、領域間を結ぶどの神経経路が、歩行に機能しているかについてはいまだ多くが不明なままである。そこで、本研究では、ヒト二足歩行時に活性化される一次運動野と脊髄を直接結ぶ皮質脊髄路と、同様に歩行時に活性化される補足運動野と内側延髄網様体を介して脊髄に投射する皮質網様体脊髄路の歩行時における機能分担をサル二足歩行モデルを用いて解明することを目指す。