Biomechanics of the Vibrissa Motor Plant in Rat: Rhythmic Whisking Consists of Triphasic Neuromuscular Activity

摘要: The biomechanics of a motor plant constrain the behavioral strategies that an animal has available to extract information from its environment. We used rat vibrissa system as model for active sensing and determined pattern muscle activity drives rhythmic exploratory whisking. Our approach made use electromyography measure activation all relevant muscles in both head-fixed unrestrained rats two-dimensional imaging monitor position vibrissae rats. essential finding is periodic motion mystacial pad during whisking results three phases activity. First, are thrust forward rostral extrinsic muscle, musculus (m.) nasalis, contracts pull initiate protraction. Second, late protraction, intrinsic pivot farther forward. Third, retraction involves cessation m. nasalis contraction caudal nasolabialis maxillolabialis backward. developed biomechanical incorporates measured muscular mechanics along with movement vectors observed direct stimulation anesthetized simulations quantify how combination leads enhanced range than would be alone.