Walking on ice takes more than brains: 'Mini-brain' in spinal cord aids in balance
Thursday, January 29, 2015 - 15:20
in Health & Medicine
Scientists discover how a "mini-brain" in the spinal cord aids in balance. Much of the balancing act that our bodies perform when faced with a task such as walking on an icy surface happens unconsciously, thanks to a cluster of neurons in our spinal cord that function as a "mini-brain" to integrate sensory information and make the necessary adjustments to our muscles so that we don't slip and fall, researchers report.