(EN) When we move, our nervous system does not control each muscle by itself. Instead, it simultaneously activates groups of muscles together as building blocks of movement. Prof. Vincent C.K. Cheung’s research team found that neuronal networks in the spinal cord could generate these muscle groupings and flexibly select appropriate ones based on the overall real-time activities of the spinal cord. Such flexibility allows us to adapt our movement to changing environments. Understanding this flexible control mechanism can help us design more efficient rehabilitation strategies and brain-machine interfaces that can interact seamlessly with the nervous system in real time.

The research has been published in The Journal of Physiology in July 2025.

Link:
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP288073