Neuromechanics of Muscle Synergies for Posture and Movement

Overview

Journal Curr Opin Neurobiol

Specialties Biology
Neurology

Date 2008 Feb 29

PMID 18304801

Citations 156

Authors

Lena H Ting

J Lucas McKay

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Recent research suggests that the nervous system controls muscles by activating flexible combinations of muscle synergies to produce a wide repertoire of movements. Muscle synergies are like building blocks, defining characteristic patterns of activation across multiple muscles that may be unique to each individual, but perform similar functions. The identification of muscle synergies has strong implications for the organization and structure of the nervous system, providing a mechanism by which task-level motor intentions are translated into detailed, low-level muscle activation patterns. Understanding the complex interplay between neural circuits and biomechanics that give rise to muscle synergies will be crucial to advancing our understanding of neural control mechanisms for movement.

Citing Articles

Evaluation of the trunk modules in the symmetrical and three-dimensional asymmetrical trunk positions.

Kian-Bostanabad S, Azghani M, Parnianpour M Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):7718.

PMID: 40044704 PMC: 11882977. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-87802-1.

Learning dynamics of muscle synergies during non-biomimetic control maps.

Tse K, Capsi-Morales P, Piazza C Wearable Technol. 2025; 6:e1.

PMID: 39935594 PMC: 11810517. DOI: 10.1017/wtc.2024.24.

Analysis of Connectivity in Electromyography Signals to Examine Neural Correlations in the Activation of Lower Leg Muscles for Postural Stability: A Pilot Study.

Alderink G, McCrumb D, Zeitler D, Rhodes S Bioengineering (Basel). 2025; 12(1).

PMID: 39851358 PMC: 11761926. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering12010084.

Error compensation in a redundant system during 'failure' of individual motor elements.

Shin N, Mei Y, Tan X, Srivastava V, Ranganathan R Exp Brain Res. 2025; 243(2):46.

PMID: 39825902 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06987-5.

Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system.

Chomienne L, Sainton P, Sarlegna F, Bringoux L NPJ Microgravity. 2025; 11(1):2.

PMID: 39794369 PMC: 11723963. DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00452-x.

References

Knikou M, Rymer Z . Effects of changes in hip joint angle on H-reflex excitability in humans. Exp Brain Res. 2002; 143(2):149-59. DOI: 10.1007/s00221-001-0978-4. View

Thoroughman K, Fine M, Taylor J . Trial-by-trial motor adaptation: a window into elemental neural computation. Prog Brain Res. 2007; 165:373-82. DOI: 10.1016/S0079-6123(06)65023-1. View

Ivanenko Y, Poppele R, Lacquaniti F . Spinal cord maps of spatiotemporal alpha-motoneuron activation in humans walking at different speeds. J Neurophysiol. 2005; 95(2):602-18. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00767.2005. View

Valero-Cuevas F, Zajac F, Burgar C . Large index-fingertip forces are produced by subject-independent patterns of muscle excitation. J Biomech. 1998; 31(8):693-703. DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9290(98)00082-7. View

Jackson A, Gee V, Baker S, Lemon R . Synchrony between neurons with similar muscle fields in monkey motor cortex. Neuron. 2003; 38(1):115-25. DOI: 10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00162-4. View

Ting L . Dimensional reduction in sensorimotor systems: a framework for understanding muscle coordination of posture. Prog Brain Res. 2007; 165:299-321. PMC: 4121431. DOI: 10.1016/S0079-6123(06)65019-X. View

Nishikawa K, Biewener A, Aerts P, Ahn A, Chiel H, Daley M . Neuromechanics: an integrative approach for understanding motor control. Integr Comp Biol. 2011; 47(1):16-54. DOI: 10.1093/icb/icm024. View

Prinz A, Bucher D, Marder E . Similar network activity from disparate circuit parameters. Nat Neurosci. 2004; 7(12):1345-52. DOI: 10.1038/nn1352. View

Leonardo A . Degenerate coding in neural systems. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2005; 191(11):995-1010. DOI: 10.1007/s00359-005-0026-0. View

10.

Georgopoulos A, Kalaska J, Caminiti R, Massey J . On the relations between the direction of two-dimensional arm movements and cell discharge in primate motor cortex. J Neurosci. 1982; 2(11):1527-37. PMC: 6564361. View

11.

van Antwerp K, Burkholder T, Ting L . Inter-joint coupling effects on muscle contributions to endpoint force and acceleration in a musculoskeletal model of the cat hindlimb. J Biomech. 2007; 40(16):3570-9. PMC: 4346316. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.06.001. View

12.

Ting L, Macpherson J . A limited set of muscle synergies for force control during a postural task. J Neurophysiol. 2004; 93(1):609-13. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00681.2004. View

13.

Nozaki D, Nakazawa K, Akai M . Uncertainty of knee joint muscle activity during knee joint torque exertion: the significance of controlling adjacent joint torque. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2005; 99(3):1093-103. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00365.2005. View

14.

Graziano M, Aflalo T . Rethinking cortical organization: moving away from discrete areas arranged in hierarchies. Neuroscientist. 2007; 13(2):138-47. DOI: 10.1177/1073858406295918. View

15.

Gentner R, Classen J . Modular organization of finger movements by the human central nervous system. Neuron. 2006; 52(4):731-42. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.09.038. View

16.

Loeb G, Brown I, Cheng E . A hierarchical foundation for models of sensorimotor control. Exp Brain Res. 1999; 126(1):1-18. DOI: 10.1007/s002210050712. View

17.

Cheung V, dAvella A, Tresch M, Bizzi E . Central and sensory contributions to the activation and organization of muscle synergies during natural motor behaviors. J Neurosci. 2005; 25(27):6419-34. PMC: 6725265. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4904-04.2005. View

18.

Stapley P, Ting L, Hulliger M, Macpherson J . Automatic postural responses are delayed by pyridoxine-induced somatosensory loss. J Neurosci. 2002; 22(14):5803-7. PMC: 6757909. DOI: 20026600. View

19.

MASSION J . Postural control systems in developmental perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 1998; 22(4):465-72. DOI: 10.1016/s0149-7634(97)00031-6. View

20.

Kawato M . Internal models for motor control and trajectory planning. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 1999; 9(6):718-27. DOI: 10.1016/s0959-4388(99)00028-8. View