Thank Your “Mini-Brain” For Helping You Balance on Ice
It’s the time of year when things ice up and it can be a struggle to get down a sidewalk without breaking a hip. But most of us manage to do it. Scientists have recently discovered that this minor miracle is the result of a cluster of nerves in our spinal cord that serve as a “mini brain,” aiding in balance. Salk Institute for Biological Studies scientists have identified an “spinal circuit” that serves as control center to integrate commands from the brains with sensory information from the limbs. It helps you to automatically process what your limbs are telling you and react quickly without wasting time on conscious effort, useful for not falling on your butt when attempting a difficult feat of balance. “When we stand and walk, touch sensors on the soles of our feet detect subtle changes in pressure and movement. These sensors send signals to our spinal cord and then to the brain,” says Martyn Goulding, a Salk professor and senior author on the paper. “Our