Abstract
Administration of L-DOPA in cat, following a transection of the spinal cord, can release locomotor movements (Grillner 1969, Budakova 1973, Forssberg and Grillner 1973) and reflex discharges, which occur with long latency and are of long duration (Anden et al. 1966a, Jankowska et al. 1967a,b). All or at least most of these effects of DOPA (cf also below) are probably due to an activation of noradrenergic alpha-receptors and have been ascribed to a release of transmitters from the noradrenergic descending systems (Anden et al. 1966b, Jankowska et al. 1967a, b). This experimental model has provided much information relevant to the understanding of walking. Most of the results are clearcut, but some controversy has arisen around a particular hypothesis proposed by Lundberg (1969, 1980, Engberg and Lundberg 1969, Lundberg 1980, Grillner 1975, 1981, Grillner and Zangger 1975, 1984). During the symposium Hans Hultborn made an excellent review of this material, but since he has been unable to complete a manuscript, I have attempted to summarize findings and conclusions reached on this experimental model with which I worked for more than fifteen years. The review is brief but it is meant to contain all pertinent references to allow the interested reader to scrutinize the original reports (see also Miller and Schomburg 1985).
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© 1986 The Wenner-Gren Center
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Grillner, S. (1986). The Effect of L-DOPA on the Spinal Cord — Relation to Locomotion and the Half Center Hypothesis. In: Grillner, S., Stein, P.S.G., Stuart, D.G., Forssberg, H., Herman, R.M. (eds) Neurobiology of Vertebrate Locomotion. Wenner-Gren Center International Symposium Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-09148-5_18
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