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Dorsal column contributions to motor behavior

1971; Elsevier BV; Volume: 33; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0014-4886(71)90101-4

1090-2430

Ronald Melzack, J.A. Bridges,

Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications

Cats with lesions of the dorsal column projection system were compared to sham-operated controls in their performance on two behavioral tasks: walking and turning on a narrow beam, and jumping to a moving platform. The results show: that cats with lesions of the dorsal columns at the cervical level make frequent errors, such as slipping and falling, during both behavioral tasks; and that lesions of the dorsal columns alone are more disruptive than lesions of the dorsal column nuclei or the lemniscal decussation. The results suggest that the dorsal column system carries information that is essential for the performance of sequential response programs. A model is proposed in which the selection of a response program in a goal-oriented task is dependent on two possible functions of the dorsal column system: transmission of precise postural and tactile information prior to response; and activation of cognitive processes that evaluate the outcome of alternative response strategies.