Nonlinear Input-Output Functions of Motoneurons

Abstract

All movements are generated by the activation of motoneurons, and hence their input-output properties define the final step in processing of all motor commands. A major challenge to understanding this transformation has been the striking nonlinear behavior of motoneurons conferred by the activation of persistent inward currents (PICs) mediated by their voltage-gated Na ⁺ and Ca ²⁺ channels. In this review, we focus on the contribution that these PICs make to motoneuronal discharge and how the nonlinearities they engender impede the construction of a comprehensive model of motor control.