SPATIO-TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF CORTICAL-MUSCULAR INTERACTION DURING LOCOMOTION

Abstract

The paper considers the synergetic effects manifested at the cortical and muscular levels during locomotor activity showed in conditions of horizontal hanging of the lower extremities. The analysis of the synergies’ spatio-temporal structure was carried out using the data matrix factorization methods. It was found out the control of the movements’ structure is mainly realized through the three muscle synergies. The activity synchronization of the motor, associative, visual and sensorimotor regions of the cortex bilateral part is due to the specifics of performing locomotion in conditions of gravitational unloading and the associated features of receptor signaling. The identified components indicating synchronization of different areas of the right and left cortex may reflect the control processes associated with the control of alternate activation of the flexor and extensor muscles of the contralateral limb during locomotion. The data on the cortical activity spatial-temporal structuring indicate the separate management of muscle synergies through synchronization of cortical commands and the temporary organization of muscle synergies in the frequency ranges 0.30 to 8.00 Hz. Such patterns may reflect the activity of the rhythm-generating mechanism involved in the management of cyclic locomotor activity.