Organization and operation of postural neuronal networks in health and disease - Tatiana Deliagina group
The general goal of our research is to understand the organization and operation of neuronal mechanisms responsible for postural control, and changes in their operation underlying impairment, as well as recovery of postural functions.
Research focus
At present, the aim of our research is to understand the organization and operation of neuronal networks underlying control of balance, changes in their operation caused by different types of spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as changes underlying recovery of balance control. To achieve this, we use mammalian animal models (mice, rabbits, cats) and a number of state-of-the-art techniques (e.g., techniques which allow studying the orientation-dependent activity of individual neurons in decerebrate preparations, recording the activity of identified neurons in animals performing postural tasks, a method of “reversible spinalization”, chemogenetics, etc.).
We have revealed and characterized activity of spinal neurons of postural network, demonstrated immediate effects of the lateral hemisection (LHS) of the spinal cord and complete transection of the spinal cord on their activity that underly disappearance of postural control immediately after SCI. We demonstrated gradual changes in activity of spinal neurons of postural networks leading to recovery of postural functions after LHS, as well as those resulting in disintegration of postural functions after complete SCI.
Our lab is also engaged in characterizing the therapeutic effects of electrical epidural stimulation (ES) of the spinal cord that can improve/restore forward stepping in patients. We demonstrated that ES activates the same spinal locomotor network generating forward locomotion that is activated by commands from the brain in intact animals. We demonstrated that ES can also evoke stepping in other directions (backward, sideways) and thus potentially could be used for restoration of balance control that requires the ability to generate corrective steps in different directions.
Group members
Group Members - Deliaigina laboratory
Selected publications
Differential Contribution of V0 Interneurons to Execution of Rhythmic and Nonrhythmic Motor Behaviors.
Zelenin PV, Vemula MG, Lyalka VF, Kiehn O, Talpalar AE, Deliagina TG
J Neurosci 2021 04;41(15):3432-3445
Comparison of operation of spinal locomotor networks activated by supraspinal commands and by epidural stimulation of the spinal cord in cats.
Musienko PE, Lyalka VF, Gorskii OV, Merkulyeva N, Gerasimenko YP, Deliagina TG, Zelenin PV
J Physiol 2020 08;598(16):3459-3483
Changes in Activity of Spinal Postural Networks at Different Time Points After Spinalization.
Zelenin PV, Lyalka VF, Orlovsky GN, Deliagina TG
Front Cell Neurosci 2019 ;13():387
Nervous mechanisms of locomotion in different directions.
Deliagina TG, Musienko PE, Zelenin PV
Curr Opin Physiol 2019 Apr;8():7-13
Distribution of Spinal Neuronal Networks Controlling Forward and Backward Locomotion.
Merkulyeva N, Veshchitskii A, Gorsky O, Pavlova N, Zelenin PV, Gerasimenko Y, Deliagina TG, Musienko P
J Neurosci 2018 05;38(20):4695-4707
Effect of acute lateral hemisection of the spinal cord on spinal neurons of postural networks.
Zelenin PV, Lyalka VF, Orlovsky GN, Deliagina TG
Neuroscience 2016 Dec;339():235-253
Putative spinal interneurons mediating postural limb reflexes provide a basis for postural control in different planes.
Zelenin PV, Hsu LJ, Lyalka VF, Orlovsky GN, Deliagina TG
Eur. J. Neurosci. 2015 Jan;41(2):168-81
Limb and trunk mechanisms for balance control during locomotion in quadrupeds.
Musienko PE, Deliagina TG, Gerasimenko YP, Orlovsky GN, Zelenin PV
J. Neurosci. 2014 Apr;34(16):5704-16
Effects of reversible spinalization on individual spinal neurons.
Zelenin PV, Lyalka VF, Hsu LJ, Orlovsky GN, Deliagina TG
J. Neurosci. 2013 Nov;33(48):18987-98
Spinal and supraspinal control of the direction of stepping during locomotion.
Musienko PE, Zelenin PV, Lyalka VF, Gerasimenko YP, Orlovsky GN, Deliagina TG
J. Neurosci. 2012 Nov;32(48):17442-53