Just how intelligent is your spinal cord? Very, as recent research has revealed.
The relationship between spine and spinal cord is vitally important
It seems like every week there is more research being produced that reveals new functions of various parts of the body. For example, earlier this year scientists showed that our lungs produce red blood cells – a function previously thought to only be fulfilled by bone marrow. Only last week I wrote about exercise changing the makeup of good bacteria in the gut.
The latest unexpected revelation comes from scientists looking into very specific functions of the spinal cord. What they’ve revealed is essentially that the spinal cord is much more intelligent than we first thought.
Initially, the spinal cord was considered simply a conduit for information needing to get from the brain to the body, or travelling the other way, from the body to the brain. Many years ago, research showed that various reflexes are controlled by the spinal cord. That’s why when someone taps your knee in the right spot, you should have that uncontrolled kick of your lower leg. It’s uncontrollable because the spinal cord makes the kick happen before your brain can stop it.
In a similar way, this recent research has described the way that while we are walking, the spinal cord selects only important sensory information to send to the brain. That extra step of processing is something that no one had expected the spinal cord to be capable of.
It’s just one more reason you should look after the health of your spine. Here at HealthGuard Wellness, our Chiropractors are trained to assess and treat your spine in order to keep it functioning as well as possible. Now, that’s a smart move.
Reference:
Koch S et al, 2017, RORβ Spinal Interneurons Gate Sensory Transmission during Locomotion to Secure a Fluid Walking Gait, Neuron, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2017.11.011
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