Biology subjects

Dernoncourt, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Dernoncourt, F..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Brain Oscillations Extend Beyond Task-Relevant Motor Neuron Pools and Contribute to Shaping the Functional State of the Motor System

It remains unknown whether oscillatory brain activity associated with sensorimotor behavior is routed selectively to task-relevant muscles or expressed more broadly, including in task-irrelevant muscles. Here we combined electroencephalography with large-scale recordings of spinal motor neurons innervating the tibialis anterior. Participants maintained a submaximal dorsiflexion while performing a Go/No-Go task in which the instructed response was either a ballistic dorsiflexion or a ballistic handgrip contraction, making the tibialis anterior task-relevant or task-irrelevant, respectively. Alpha- and beta-band modulations observed at the cortical level were largely expressed in motor neuron output, including in the task-irrelevant motor neuron pool. The peripheral expression of these modulations differed across frequency bands: alpha was partly effector-dependent, consistent with more selective transmission to the task-relevant pool, whereas beta was largely effector-independent, consistent with broader expression across motor neuron pools. Using simulation-based inference, we found that task-related changes in motor output were best explained by modulations in net excitatory drive, whereas alpha- and beta-band inputs contributed primarily to motor neuron synchronization. A complementary simulation showed that this synchronization may facilitate rapid changes in motor output. These results support a parallel control architecture in which low-frequency drive determines motor output, whereas higher-frequency oscillatory inputs shape synchronization within motor pools more broadly, potentially setting the motor system in a state that favours rapid adjustments in output.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Probabilistic inference of Homonymous and Heteronymous Recurrent Inhibition in Human Muscles from Large-Scale Motor Neuron Recordings

Understanding how spinal circuits shape motor neuron behavior during muscle contractions remains a major challenge. Here, we combined large-scale motor unit recordings with simulation-based inference to generate probabilistic estimates of homonymous and heteronymous recurrent inhibition, a key spinal circuit that has remained largely inaccessible during natural voluntary contractions. We constructed synchronization cross-histograms from motor neuron spike trains and extracted features representative of recurrent inhibition. Because these features are also influenced by higher-frequency components of common synaptic input, we developed a simulation-based inference framework to disentangle these effects. Following validation, we applied this framework to experimental data from six muscles at two contraction intensities, revealing previously uncharacterized muscle-and intensity-dependent patterns: recurrent inhibition decreased with contraction intensity in most muscles but increased in the vastus lateralis and medialis. The pipeline is openly available and designed for reuse on comparable datasets and for adaptation to diverse experimental contexts, including other spinal circuits. TeaserLarge-scale motor-unit recordings enable in-vivo probabilistic mapping of spinal recurrent inhibition.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Heterogeneous distribution of inhibitory inputs among motor units as a key mechanism for motor adaptations to pain

Pain significantly influences movement, yet the neural mechanisms underlying the range of observed motor adaptations remain unclear. This study combined experimental data and in silico models to investigate the contribution of inhibitory and neuromodulatory inputs to motor unit behaviour in response to nociceptive stimulation during contractions at 30% of maximal torque. Specifically, we aimed to unravel the distribution pattern of inhibitory inputs to the motor unit pool. Seventeen participants performed isometric knee extension tasks under three conditions: Control, Pain (induced by injecting hypertonic saline into the infra-patellar fat pad), and Washout. We identified large samples of motor units in the vastus lateralis (up to 53/participant) from high-density electromyographic signals, leading to three key observations. First, while motor unit discharge rates significantly decreased during Pain, a substantial proportion of motor units (14.8-24.8%) did not show this decrease and, in some cases, even exhibited an increase. Second, using complementary approaches, we found that pain did not significantly affect neuromodulation, making it unlikely to be a major contributor to the observed changes in motor unit behaviour. Third, we observed a significant reduction in the proportion of common inputs to motor units during Pain. To explore potential neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these results, we simulated the behaviour of motor unit pools with varying distribution patterns of inhibitory inputs. Our simulations support the hypothesis that a non-homogeneous distribution of inhibitory inputs, not strictly organised according to motor unit size, is a key mechanism underlying the motor response to nociceptive stimulation during moderate contraction intensity. Key pointsO_LIPain affects movement, but the neural mechanisms underlying these motor adaptations are not well defined. C_LIO_LIThe traditional view is that pain causes uniform (homogeneous) inhibition among motor units. C_LIO_LIRecent research has observed differential motor unit responses to experimental pain - some with decreased discharge rates and others with increased discharge rates. C_LIO_LICombining experimental data with modelling, we provide compelling evidence of increased inhibition that is non-uniformly distributed across motor units, regardless of their size. C_LI Legend of the abstract figureWe combined experimental data and in silico models to investigate the contribution of inhibitory and neuromodulatory inputs to motor unit behaviour in response to nociceptive stimulation during submaximal isometric contractions at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction. We identified large samples of motor units in the vastus lateralis, leading to three key observations. First, while motor unit discharge rates significantly decreased during Pain, a substantial proportion of motor units did not show this decrease and, in some cases, even exhibited an increase. Second, using complementary approaches, we found that pain did not significantly affect neuromodulation, making it unlikely to be a major contributor to the observed changes in motor unit behaviour. Third, we observed a significant reduction in the proportion of common inputs to motor units during Pain. Together with our simulations, these results provide evidence of increased inhibition that is non-uniformly distributed across motor units, regardless of their size. Ppp, pulses per second; MVC, maximal voluntary contraction.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Flexible Control of Motor Units: Is the Multidimensionality of Motor Unit Manifolds a Sufficient Condition?

Understanding flexibility in the neural control of movement requires identifying the distribution of common inputs to the motor units. In this study, we identified large samples of motor units from two lower limb muscles: the vastus lateralis (VL; up to 60 motor units/participant) and the gastrocnemius medialis (GM; up to 67 motor units/participant). First, we applied a linear dimensionality reduction method to assess the dimensionality of the manifolds underlying the motor unit activity. We subsequently investigated the flexibility in motor unit control under two conditions: sinusoidal contractions with torque feedback, and online control with visual feedback on motor unit firing rates. Overall, we found that the activity of GM motor units was effectively captured by a single latent factor defining a unidimensional manifold, whereas the VL motor units were better represented by three latent factors defining a multidimensional manifold. Despite this difference in dimensionality, the recruitment of motor units in the two muscles exhibited similarly low levels of flexibility. Using a spiking network model, we tested the hypothesis that dimensionality derived from factorization does not solely represent descending cortical commands but is also influenced by spinal circuitry. We demonstrated that a heterogeneous distribution of inputs to motor units, or specific configurations of recurrent inhibitory circuits, could produce a multidimensional manifold. This study clarifies an important debated issue, demonstrating that while motor unit firings of a non-compartmentalised muscle can lie in a multidimensional manifold, the central nervous system may still have limited capacity for flexible control of these units. Key pointsO_LITo generate movement, the central nervous system distributes both excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the motor units. C_LIO_LIThe level of flexibility in the neural control of these motor units remains a topic of debate with significant implications for identifying the smallest unit of movement control. C_LIO_LIBy combining experimental data and in silico models, we demonstrated that the activity of a large sample of motor units from a single muscle can be represented by a multidimensional linear manifold; however, these units show very limited flexibility in their recruitment. C_LIO_LIThe dimensionality of the linear manifold may not directly reflect the dimensionality of descending inputs but could instead relate to the organisation of local spinal circuits. C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Estimates of persistent inward currents in lower limb muscles are not different between inactive, resistance-trained and endurance-trained young individuals

Persistent inward currents (PICs) increase the intrinsic excitability of -motoneurons. The main objective of this study was to determine whether estimates of -motoneuronal PIC magnitude is influenced by chronic endurance and resistance training. We also aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship in the estimates of -motoneuronal PIC magnitude between muscles. Estimates of PIC magnitude were obtained in three groups of young individuals: resistance-trained (n=12), endurance-trained (n=12), and inactive (n=13). We recorded high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) signals from tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis, soleus, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis. Then, signals were decomposed with convolutive blind source separation to identify motor units spike trains. Participants performed triangular isometric contractions to a peak of 20% of their maximum voluntary contraction. A paired-motor-unit analysis was used to calculate {Delta}F, which is assumed to be proportional to PIC magnitude. Despite the substantial differences in physical training experience between groups, we found no differences in {Delta}F, regardless of the muscle. Significant correlations of estimates of PICs magnitude were found between muscles of the same group (VL-VM, SOL-GM). Only one correlation (out of 8) between muscles of different groups was found (GM and TA). Overall, our findings suggest that estimates of PIC magnitude in the lower limb muscles are not influenced by physical training experience in healthy young individuals. They also suggest muscle-specific and muscle group-specific regulations of the diffuse monoamine inputs.

neuroscience↗