[The brain stem pathways of locomotion initiation]

Abstract

The data about structural organization, connections and different ways of activation of the brain stem locomotor regions are offered in the review. The specificity of the locomotor regions and pathways of their influence on the spinal locomotor generator is discussed, the role of the reticular formation is elucidated. It is suggested that side by side with the multilevel system of the locomotion initiation, which has an output on the spinal cord via medial reticular formation, nonspecific afferent activation of the brain stem is also very significant.