RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Dance, Turtle, Dance JF Science's STKE JO Sci. STKE FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP tw32 OP tw32 DO 10.1126/stke.3702007tw32 VO 2007 IS 370 A1 Stern, Peter YR 2007 UL http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2007/370/tw32.abstract AB The basic spinal network mechanisms underlying limb movements are still not fully understood. Investigating spinal cord preparations from adult turtles, Berg et al. describe how spinal networks operate during motor pattern generation. Balanced increases in synaptic excitation and inhibition operate in spinal motor neurons to produce rhythmic bursts of action potentials that are stochastic in nature. This activity contrasts strongly with the classical notion that antiphasic inhibition and excitation produces rhythmic activity in oscillatory spinal networks (see Kristan for commentary). R. W. Berg, A. Alaburda, J. Hounsgaard, Balanced inhibition and excitation drive spike activity in spinal half-centers. Science 315, 390-393 (2007). [Abstract] [Full Text] W. B. Kristan, A push-me pull-you neural design. Science 315, 339-340 (2007). [Summary] [Full Text]