Independent of the brain Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Brain Sciences in Japan, led by Aya Takeoki, have discovered a neural circuit in the spinal cord that allows movement to be learned independently of the brain. A study published in the journal Science identified two key groups of spinal cord neurons, some essential for new adaptive learning and others for recalling adaptations once they've been learned. Discuss
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These discoveries may help scientists develop ways to help restore movement after spinal cord injury. Scientists have found that the spinal cord is able to associate unpleasant sensations with limb position and adapt its output to avoid unpleasant sensations, all without the need for a brain.
Experimental tests on mice have shown that the spinal cord retains memories of the past experience that interferes with new learning. The researchers also identified that a group of neurons in the lower spinal cord that express the En1 gene are critical for this process. These discoveries may help in the development of therapies aimed at improving recovery after spinal cord injury.