Brainless memory makes the spinal cord smarter than previously thought

Aya Takeoka at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan and colleagues at Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders (NERF, empowered by IMEC, KU Leuven, and VIB) have discovered the neural circuitry in the spinal cord that allows brain-independent motor learning. Published in Science on April 11, the study found two critical groups of spinal cord neurons, one necessary for new adaptive learning, and another for recalling adaptations once they have been learned. The findings could help scientists develop ways to assist motor recovery after spinal cord injury.

Read the full story on the RIKEN Website.

The publication was also featured on the It Ain’t Magic blog.

Lavaud et al., Two inhibitory neuronal classes govern acquisition and recall of spinal sensorimotor adaptation. Science, 2024.