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Druelle F, Ghislieri M, Molina-Vila P, Rimbaud B, Agostini V, Berillon G. A comparative study of muscle activity and synergies during walking in baboons and humans. J Hum Evol 2024; 189:103513. [PMID: 38401300 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Bipedal locomotion was a major functional change during hominin evolution, yet, our understanding of this gradual and complex process remains strongly debated. Based on fossil discoveries, it is possible to address functional hypotheses related to bipedal anatomy, however, motor control remains intangible with this approach. Using comparative models which occasionally walk bipedally has proved to be relevant to shed light on the evolutionary transition toward habitual bipedalism. Here, we explored the organization of the neuromuscular control using surface electromyography (sEMG) for six extrinsic muscles in two baboon individuals when they walk quadrupedally and bipedally on the ground. We compared their muscular coordination to five human subjects walking bipedally. We extracted muscle synergies from the sEMG envelopes using the non-negative matrix factorization algorithm which allows decomposing the sEMG data in the linear combination of two non-negative matrixes (muscle weight vectors and activation coefficients). We calculated different parameters to estimate the complexity of the sEMG signals, the duration of the activation of the synergies, and the generalizability of the muscle synergy model across species and walking conditions. We found that the motor control strategy is less complex in baboons when they walk bipedally, with an increased muscular activity and muscle coactivation. When comparing the baboon bipedal and quadrupedal pattern of walking to human bipedalism, we observed that the baboon bipedal pattern of walking is closer to human bipedalism for both baboons, although substantial differences remain. Overall, our findings show that the muscle activity of a non-adapted biped effectively fulfills the basic mechanical requirements (propulsion and balance) for walking bipedally, but substantial refinements are possible to optimize the efficiency of bipedal locomotion. In the evolutionary context of an expanding reliance on bipedal behaviors, even minor morphological alterations, reducing muscle coactivation, could have faced strong selection pressure, ultimately driving bipedal evolution in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Druelle
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116 Paris, France; Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France; Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken (Building D), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Marco Ghislieri
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy; PoliTo(BIO)Med Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Pablo Molina-Vila
- Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France
| | - Brigitte Rimbaud
- Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France
| | - Valentina Agostini
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy; PoliTo(BIO)Med Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Gilles Berillon
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116 Paris, France; Primatology Station of the CNRS, UAR 846, 2230 route des quatre tours, 13790 Rousset, France
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Goto R, Grider-Potter N, Shitara T, Kinoshita Y, Oka K, Nakano Y. Coordination within paraspinal muscles during bipedalism in humans, a white-handed gibbon, and a Japanese macaque. J Hum Evol 2023; 179:103356. [PMID: 37028220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Goto
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Gunma Paz University, 1-7-1 Tonyamachi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0006, Japan.
| | - Neysa Grider-Potter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Tetsuya Shitara
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuki Kinoshita
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Kenji Oka
- School of Rehabilitation, Osaka Kawasaki Rehabilitation University, Kaizuka, Osaka 597-0104, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Nakano
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Xv XW, Chen WB, Xiong CH, Huang B, Cheng LF, Sun BY. Exploring the effects of skeletal architecture and muscle properties on bipedal standing in the common chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes) from the perspective of biomechanics. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1140262. [PMID: 37214291 PMCID: PMC10196953 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1140262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: It is well known that the common chimpanzee, as both the closest living relative to humans and a facultative bipedal, has the capability of bipedal standing but cannot do so fully upright. Accordingly, they have been of exceeding significance in elucidating the evolution of human bipedalism. There are many reasons why the common chimpanzee can only stand with its hips-knees bent, such as the distally oriented long ischial tubercle and the almost absent lumbar lordosis. However, it is unknown how the relative positions of their shoulder-hip-knee-ankle joints are coordinated. Similarly, the distribution of the biomechanical characteristics of the lower-limb muscles and the factors that affect the erectness of standing as well as the muscle fatigue of the lower limbs remain a mystery. The answers are bound to light up the evolutional mechanism of hominin bipedality, but these conundrums have not been shed much light upon, because few studies have comprehensively explored the effects of skeletal architecture and muscle properties on bipedal standing in common chimpanzees. Methods: Thus, we first built a musculoskeletal model comprising the head-arms-trunk (HAT), thighs, shanks, and feet segments of the common chimpanzee, and then, the mechanical relationships of the Hill-type muscle-tendon units (MTUs) in bipedal standing were deduced. Thereafter, the equilibrium constraints were established, and a constrained optimization problem was formulated where the optimization objective was defined. Finally, thousands of simulations of bipedal standing experiments were performed to determine the optimal posture and its corresponding MTU parameters including muscle lengths, muscle activation, and muscle forces. Moreover, to quantify the relationship between each pair of the parameters from all the experimental simulation outcomes, the Pearson correlation analysis was employed. Results: Our results demonstrate that in the pursuit of the optimal bipedal standing posture, the common chimpanzee cannot simultaneously achieve maximum erectness and minimum muscle fatigue of the lower limbs. For uni-articular MTUs, the relationship between muscle activation, relative muscle lengths, together with relative muscle forces, and the corresponding joint angle is generally negatively correlated for extensors and positively correlated for flexors. For bi-articular MTUs, the relationship between muscle activation, coupled with relative muscle forces, and the corresponding joint angles does not show the same pattern as in the uni-articular MTUs. Discussion: The results of this study bridge the gap between skeletal architecture, along with muscle properties, and biomechanical performance of the common chimpanzee during bipedal standing, which enhances existing biomechanical theories and advances the comprehension of bipedal evolution in humans.
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Modification of the locomotor pattern when deviating from the characteristic heel-to-toe rolling pattern during walking. Eur J Appl Physiol 2023:10.1007/s00421-023-05169-5. [PMID: 36869884 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-023-05169-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Humans are amongst few animals that step first on the heel, and then roll on the ball of the foot and toes. While this heel-to-toe rolling pattern has been shown to render an energetic advantage during walking, the effect of different foot contact strategies, on the neuromuscular control of adult walking gaits has received less attention. We hypothesised that deviating from heel-to-toe rolling pattern affects the energy transduction and weight acceptance and re-propulsive phases in gait along with the modification of spinal motor activity. METHODS Ten subjects walked on a treadmill normally, then placed their feet flat on the ground at each step and finally walked on the balls of the feet. RESULTS Our results show that when participants deviate from heel-to-toe rolling pattern strategy, the mechanical work increases on average 85% higher (F = 15.5; p < 0.001), mainly linked to a lack of propulsion at late stance. This modification of the mechanical power is related to a differential involvement of lumbar and sacral segment activation. Particularly, the delay between the major bursts of activation is on average 65% smaller, as compared to normal walking (F = 43.2; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Similar results are observable in walking plantigrade animals, but also at the onset of independent stepping in toddlers, where the heel-to-toe rolling pattern is not yet established. These indications seem to bring arguments to the fact that the rolling of the foot during human locomotion has evolved to optimise gait, following selective pressures from the evolution of bipedal posture.
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Druelle F, Supiot A, Meulemans S, Schouteden N, Molina-Vila P, Rimbaud B, Aerts P, Berillon G. The quadrupedal walking gait of the olive baboon, Papio anubis: an exploratory study integrating kinematics and EMG. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:271005. [PMID: 34292320 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Primates exhibit unusual quadrupedal features (e.g. diagonal gaits, compliant walk) compared with other quadrupedal mammals. Their origin and diversification in arboreal habitats have certainly shaped the mechanics of their walking pattern to meet the functional requirements necessary for balance control in unstable and discontinuous environments. In turn, the requirements for mechanical stability probably conflict with mechanical energy exchange. In order to investigate these aspects, we conducted an integrative study on quadrupedal walking in the olive baboon (Papio anubis) at the Primatology station of the CNRS in France. Based on kinematics, we describe the centre of mass mechanics of the normal quadrupedal gait performed on the ground, as well as in different gait and substrate contexts. In addition, we studied the muscular activity of six hindlimb muscles using non-invasive surface probes. Our results show that baboons can rely on an inverted pendulum-like exchange of energy (57% on average, with a maximal observed value of 84%) when walking slowly (<0.9 m s-1) with a tight limb phase (∼55%) on the ground using diagonal sequence gaits. In this context, the muscular activity is similar to that of other quadrupedal mammals, thus reflecting the primary functions of the muscles for limb movement and support. In contrast, walking on a suspended branch generates kinematic and muscular adjustments to ensure better control and to maintain stability. Finally, walking using the lateral sequence gait increases muscular effort and reduces the potential for high recovery rates. The present exploratory study thus supports the assumption that primates are able to make use of an inverted pendulum mechanism on the ground using a diagonal walking gait, yet a different footfall pattern and substrate appear to influence muscular effort and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Druelle
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, 75116 Paris, France.,Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France.,Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anthony Supiot
- Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Robert Debré University Hospital, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Silke Meulemans
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Niels Schouteden
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.,Monde Sauvage Safari Parc, 4920 Aywaille, Belgium
| | - Pablo Molina-Vila
- Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France
| | - Brigitte Rimbaud
- Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France
| | - Peter Aerts
- Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, University of Ghent, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Gilles Berillon
- Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique, UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN-UPVD, 75116 Paris, France.,Primatology Station of the CNRS-Celphedia, UAR 846, 13790 Rousset-sur-Arc, France
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Tojima S. Relationship between sacral shape variation and phylogeny in Old World monkeys. J Morphol 2021; 282:1287-1297. [PMID: 34053126 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The sacrum, an essential skeletal element in the trunk, articulates with the ilium and lumbar and caudal vertebrae. While there are known morphological differences between hominoids and cercopithecoids (Old World monkeys), sacral morphological variations among cercopithecoids have rarely been studied outside of research on tail length variation. Increased knowledge regarding sacral variations in extant primates, however, could help in understanding and reconstructing their evolutionary development. Therefore, this study aimed to explore phylogenetic sacral shape variations among cercopithecoids. Geometric morphometric analyses were performed on 221 sacra from 39 different cercopithecoid species. Clear shape differences were observed among Colobinae, Cercopithecini, and Papionini, particularly in the spinous processes and sacral lateral mass. These parts function as muscle attachment points or skeletal joints, and variations in them seemed to reflect their required functions. However, the significance of the relationship between shape and function was not so great as to explain all the observed variation. According to recent genetic/developmental biological studies, shape variations may also be caused by the pleiotropic effects of some genes, such as posterior Hox genes. Therefore, while skeletal morphology has previously been considered to be directly connected to skeletal function, this study's results suggest that other factors influencing sacral shape require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayaka Tojima
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan
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Kinoshita Y, Goto R, Nakano Y, Hirasaki E. A comparison of axial trunk rotation during bipedal walking between humans and Japanese macaques. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:66-75. [PMID: 32860450 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Human walking involves out-of-phase axial rotations of the thorax and pelvis. It has long been believed that this rotational capability is a distinctive feature of the genus Homo. However, Thompson et al. (2015) showed that chimpanzees also counter-rotate their thorax relative to the pelvis during bipedal walking, which raised questions regarding the origins and development of this characteristic. In this study, we measured the axial rotation of the trunk during bipedal walking in humans and macaques to investigate if intra-trunk axial rotations are observed in non-hominoid primate species. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected three-dimensional trunk kinematic data during bipedal walking in six humans and five Japanese macaques. The human subjects walked on a treadmill, and the animal subjects walked on a 5-m runway. During walking, the positions of cluster markers, which defined trunk segments, were recorded by multiple video cameras. Segmental xyz coordinates were digitized, and transverse rotations were calculated using motion analysis software. RESULTS Although trunk rotations in the global coordinate system were greater in macaques than in humans, the intra-trunk rotation and range of motion showed a similar pattern in the two species. CONCLUSIONS Thoracic rotation relative to the pelvis during bipedal walking is not unique to the hominid lineage but rather a characteristic generated by the mechanical requirements of bipedal walking. The fact that the range of motion of counter rotation is similar in these species infers that an optimal range of rotation exists for bipedal walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kinoshita
- Section of Evolutionary Morphology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Goto
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Nakano
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eishi Hirasaki
- Section of Evolutionary Morphology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
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Is step width decoupled from pelvic motion in human evolution? Sci Rep 2020; 10:7806. [PMID: 32385415 PMCID: PMC7210942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64799-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are the only primate that walk bipedally with adducted hips, valgus knees, and swing-side pelvic drop. These characteristic frontal-plane aspects of bipedalism likely play a role in balance and energy minimization during walking. Understanding when and why these aspects of bipedalism evolved also requires an understanding of how each of these features are interrelated during walking. Here we investigated the relationship between step width, hip adduction, and pelvic list during bipedalism by altering step widths and pelvic motions in humans in ways that both mimic chimpanzee gait as well as an exaggerated human gait. Our results show that altering either step width or pelvic list to mimic those of chimpanzees affects hip adduction, but neither of these gait parameters dramatically affects the other in ways that lead to a chimpanzee-like gait. These results suggest that the evolution of valgus knees and narrow steps in humans may be decoupled from the evolution of the human-like pattern of pelvic list. While the origin of narrow steps in hominins may be linked to minimizing energetic cost of locomotion, the origin of the human-like pattern of pelvic list remains unresolved.
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Plomp KA, Dobney K, Collard M. Spondylolysis and spinal adaptations for bipedalism: The overshoot hypothesis. EVOLUTION MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 2020:35-44. [PMID: 32153781 PMCID: PMC7053264 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background and objectives The study reported here focused on the aetiology of spondylolysis, a vertebral pathology usually caused by a fatigue fracture. The goal was to test the Overshoot Hypothesis, which proposes that people develop spondylolysis because their vertebral shape is at the highly derived end of the range of variation within Homo sapiens. Methodology We recorded 3D data on the final lumbar vertebrae of H. sapiens and three great ape species, and performed three analyses. First, we compared H. sapiens vertebrae with and without spondylolysis. Second, we compared H. sapiens vertebrae with and without spondylolysis to great ape vertebrae. Lastly, we compared H. sapiens vertebrae with and without spondylolysis to great ape vertebrae and to vertebrae of H. sapiens with Schmorl’s nodes, which previous studies have shown tend to be located at the ancestral end of the range of H. sapiens shape variation. Results We found that H. sapiens vertebrae with spondylolysis are significantly different in shape from healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. We also found that H. sapiens vertebrae with spondylolysis are more distant from great ape vertebrae than are healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. Lastly, we found that H. sapiens vertebrae with spondylolysis are at the opposite end of the range of shape variation than vertebrae with Schmorl’s nodes. Conclusions Our findings indicate that H. sapiens vertebrae with spondylolysis tend to exhibit highly derived traits and therefore support the Overshoot Hypothesis. Spondylolysis, it appears, is linked to our lineage’s evolutionary history, especially its shift from quadrupedalism to bipedalism. Lay summary: Spondylolysis is a relatively common vertebral pathology usually caused by a fatigue fracture. There is reason to think that it might be connected with our lineage’s evolutionary shift from walking on all fours to walking on two legs. We tested this idea by comparing human vertebrae with and without spondylolysis to the vertebrae of great apes. Our results support the hypothesis. They suggest that people who experience spondylolysis have vertebrae with what are effectively exaggerated adaptations for bipedalism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.,Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool L69 7WZ, UK
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.,Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, St Mary's, Elphinstone Road, Aberdeen AB24 3UF, UK
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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Plomp KA, Dobney K, Weston DA, Strand Viðarsdóttir U, Collard M. 3D shape analyses of extant primate and fossil hominin vertebrae support the ancestral shape hypothesis for intervertebral disc herniation. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:226. [PMID: 31842740 PMCID: PMC6916256 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1550-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently we proposed an evolutionary explanation for a spinal pathology that afflicts many people, intervertebral disc herniation (Plomp et al. [2015] BMC Evolutionary Biology 15, 68). Using 2D data, we found that the bodies and pedicles of lower vertebrae of pathological humans were more similar in shape to those of chimpanzees than were those of healthy humans. Based on this, we hypothesized that some individuals are more prone to intervertebral disc herniation because their vertebrae exhibit ancestral traits and therefore are less well adapted for the stresses associated with bipedalism. Here, we report a study in which we tested this "Ancestral Shape Hypothesis" with 3D data from the last two thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae of pathological Homo sapiens, healthy H. sapiens, Pan troglodytes, and several extinct hominins. RESULTS We found that the pathological and healthy H. sapiens vertebrae differed significantly in shape, and that the pathological H. sapiens vertebrae were closer in shape to the P. troglodytes vertebrae than were the healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. Additionally, we found that the pathological human vertebrae were generally more similar in shape to the vertebrae of the extinct hominins than were the healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. These results are consistent with the predictions of the Ancestral Shape Hypothesis. Several vertebral traits were associated with disc herniation, including a vertebral body that is both more circular and more ventrally wedged, relatively short pedicles and laminae, relatively long, more cranio-laterally projecting transverse processes, and relatively long, cranially-oriented spinous processes. We found that there are biomechanical and comparative anatomical reasons for suspecting that all of these traits are capable of predisposing individuals to intervertebral disc herniation. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study add weight to the hypothesis that intervertebral disc herniation in H. sapiens is connected with vertebral shape. Specifically, they suggest that individuals whose vertebrae are towards the ancestral end of the range of shape variation within H. sapiens have a greater propensity to develop the condition than other individuals. More generally, the study shows that evolutionary thinking has the potential to shed new light on human skeletal pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.,Department of Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, St Mary's, Elphinstone Road, Scotland, UK, AB24 3UF, Aberdeen
| | - Darlene A Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Una Strand Viðarsdóttir
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Læknagarður, Vatnsmýrarvegi 16, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Plomp K, Viðarsdóttir US, Dobney K, Weston D, Collard M. Potential adaptations for bipedalism in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of Homo sapiens: A 3D comparative analysis. J Hum Evol 2019; 137:102693. [PMID: 31711026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A number of putative adaptations for bipedalism have been identified in the hominin spine. However, it is possible that some have been overlooked because only a few studies have used 3D and these studies have focused on cervical vertebrae. With this in mind, we used geometric morphometric techniques to compare the 3D shapes of three thoracic and two lumbar vertebrae of Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, and Pongo pygmaeus. The study had two goals. One was to confirm the existence of traits previously reported to distinguish the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of H. sapiens from those of the great apes. The other was to, if possible, identify hitherto undescribed traits that differentiate H. sapiens thoracic and lumbar vertebrae from those of the great apes. Both goals were accomplished. Our analyses not only substantiated a number of traits that have previously been discussed in the literature but also identified four traits that have not been described before: (1) dorsoventrally shorter pedicles in the upper thoracic vertebrae; (2) dorsoventrally longer laminae in all five of the vertebrae examined; (3) longer transverse processes in the upper thoracic vertebrae; and (4) craniocaudally 'pinched' spinous process tips in all of the vertebrae examined. A review of the biomechanical literature suggests that most of the traits highlighted in our analyses can be plausibly linked to bipedalism, including three of the four new ones. As such, the present study not only sheds further light on the differences between the spines of H. sapiens and great apes but also enhances our understanding of how the shift to bipedalism affected the hominin vertebral column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.
| | - Una Strand Viðarsdóttir
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Læknagarður, Vatnsmýrarvegi 16, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK
| | - Darlene Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Higurashi Y, Maier MA, Nakajima K, Morita K, Fujiki S, Aoi S, Mori F, Murata A, Inase M. Locomotor kinematics and EMG activity during quadrupedal versus bipedal gait in the Japanese macaque. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:398-412. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00803.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Several qualitative features distinguish bipedal from quadrupedal locomotion in mammals. In this study we show quantitative differences between quadrupedal and bipedal gait in the Japanese monkey in terms of gait patterns, trunk/hindlimb kinematics, and electromyographic (EMG) activity, obtained from 3 macaques during treadmill walking. We predicted that as a consequence of an almost upright body axis, bipedal gait would show properties consistent with temporal and spatial optimization countering higher trunk/hindlimb loads and a less stable center of mass (CoM). A comparatively larger step width, an ~9% longer duty cycle, and ~20% increased relative duration of the double-support phase were all in line with such a strategy. Bipedal joint kinematics showed the strongest differences in proximal, and least in distal, hindlimb joint excursions compared with quadrupedal gait. Hindlimb joint coordination (cyclograms) revealed more periods of single-joint rotations during bipedal gait and predominance of proximal joints during single support. The CoM described a symmetrical, quasi-sinusoidal left/right path during bipedal gait, with an alternating shift toward the weight-supporting limb during stance. Trunk/hindlimb EMG activity was nonuniformally increased during bipedal gait, most prominently in proximal antigravity muscles during stance (up to 10-fold). Non-antigravity hindlimb EMG showed altered temporal profiles during liftoff or touchdown. Muscle coactivation was more, but muscle synergies less, frequent during bipedal gait. Together, these results show that behavioral and EMG properties of bipedal vs. quadrupedal gait are quantitatively distinct and suggest that the neural control of bipedal primate locomotion underwent specific adaptations to generate these particular behavioral features to counteract increased load and instability. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Bipedal locomotion imposes particular biomechanical constraints on motor control. In a within-species comparative study, we investigated joint kinematics and electromyographic characteristics of bipedal vs. quadrupedal treadmill locomotion in Japanese macaques. Because these features represent (to a large extent) emergent properties of the underlying neural control, they provide a comparative, behavioral, and neurophysiological framework for understanding the neural system dedicated to bipedal locomotion in this nonhuman primate, which constitutes a critical animal model for human bipedalism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuo Higurashi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Marc A. Maier
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, UMR 8002, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Life Sciences, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Katsumi Nakajima
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazunori Morita
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Soichiro Fujiki
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Aoi
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Futoshi Mori
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Akira Murata
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masahiko Inase
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan
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Jensen P, Frisk R, Spedden ME, Geertsen SS, Bouyer LJ, Halliday DM, Nielsen JB. Using Corticomuscular and Intermuscular Coherence to Assess Cortical Contribution to Ankle Plantar Flexor Activity During Gait. J Mot Behav 2019; 51:668-680. [PMID: 30657030 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2018.1563762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The present study used coherence and directionality analyses to explore whether the motor cortex contributes to plantar flexor muscle activity during the stance phase and push-off phase during gait. Subjects walked on a treadmill, while EEG over the leg motorcortex area and EMG from the medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscles was recorded. Corticomuscular and intermuscular coherence were calculated from pair-wise recordings. Significant EEG-EMG and EMG-EMG coherence in the beta and gamma frequency bands was found throughout the stance phase with the largest coherence towards push-off. Analysis of directionality revealed that EEG activity preceded EMG activity throughout the stance phase until the time of push-off. These findings suggest that the motor cortex contributes to ankle plantar flexor muscle activity and forward propulsion during gait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Jensen
- Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Rasmus Frisk
- Elsass Institute , Charlottenlund, Denmark .,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | | | - Svend Sparre Geertsen
- Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark .,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Laurent J Bouyer
- CIRRIS-Department of Rehabilitation, Universite Laval , Quebec City , Canada
| | - David M Halliday
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York , York, UK
| | - Jens Bo Nielsen
- Elsass Institute , Charlottenlund, Denmark .,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
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14
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Larson SG. Nonhuman Primate Locomotion. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:705-725. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan G. Larson
- Department of Anatomical Sciences; Stony Brook University School of Medicine; Stony Brook New York 11794-8081
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15
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Gaudin TJ, Nyakatura JA. Epaxial Musculature in Armadillos, Sloths, and Opossums: Functional Significance and Implications for the Evolution of Back Muscles in the Xenarthra. J MAMM EVOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-017-9402-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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16
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Huq E, Wall CE, Taylor AB. Epaxial muscle fiber architecture favors enhanced excursion and power in the leaper Galago senegalensis. J Anat 2015; 227:524-40. [PMID: 26184388 PMCID: PMC4580110 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Galago senegalensis is a habitual arboreal leaper that engages in rapid spinal extension during push-off. Large muscle excursions and high contraction velocities are important components of leaping, and experimental studies indicate that during leaping by G. senegalensis, peak power is facilitated by elastic storage of energy. To date, however, little is known about the functional relationship between epaxial muscle fiber architecture and locomotion in leaping primates. Here, fiber architecture of select epaxial muscles is compared between G. senegalensis (n = 4) and the slow arboreal quadruped, Nycticebus coucang (n = 4). The hypothesis is tested that G. senegalensis exhibits architectural features of the epaxial muscles that facilitate rapid and powerful spinal extension during the take-off phase of leaping. As predicted, G. senegalensis epaxial muscles have relatively longer, less pinnate fibers and higher ratios of tendon length-to-fiber length, indicating the capacity for generating relatively larger muscle excursions, higher whole-muscle contraction velocities, and a greater capacity for elastic energy storage. Thus, the relatively longer fibers and higher tendon length-to-fiber length ratios can be functionally linked to leaping performance in G. senegalensis. It is further predicted that G. senegalensis epaxial muscles have relatively smaller physiological cross-sectional areas (PCSAs) as a consequence of an architectural trade-off between fiber length (excursion) and PCSA (force). Contrary to this prediction, there are no species differences in relative PCSAs, but the smaller-bodied G. senegalensis trends towards relatively larger epaxial muscle mass. These findings suggest that relative increase in muscle mass in G. senegalensis is largely attributable to longer fibers. The relative increase in erector spinae muscle mass may facilitate sagittal flexibility during leaping. The similarity between species in relative PCSAs provides empirical support for previous work linking osteological features of the vertebral column in lorisids with axial stability and reduced muscular effort associated with slow, deliberate movements during anti-pronograde locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emranul Huq
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Christine E Wall
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurham, NC, USA
| | - Andrea B Taylor
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurham, NC, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University School of MedicineDurham, NC, USA
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17
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Pontzer H, Raichlen DA, Rodman PS. Bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion in chimpanzees. J Hum Evol 2014; 66:64-82. [PMID: 24315239 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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18
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Granatosky MC, Lemelin P, Chester SGB, Pampush JD, Schmitt D. Functional and evolutionary aspects of axial stability in euarchontans and other mammals. J Morphol 2013; 275:313-27. [PMID: 24288155 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The presence of a stable thoracolumbar region, found in many arboreal mammals, is considered advantageous for bridging and cantilevering between discontinuous branches. However, no study has directly explored the link between osteological features cited as enhancing axial stability and the frequency of cantilevering and bridging behaviors in a terminal branch environment. To fill this gap, we collected metric data on costal and vertebral morphology of primate and nonprimate mammals known to cantilever and bridge frequently and those that do not. We also quantified the frequency and duration of cantilevering and bridging behaviors using experimental setups for species that have been reported to show differences in use of small branches and back anatomy (Caluromys philander, Loris tardigradus, Monodelphis domestica, and Cheirogaleus medius). Phylogenetically corrected principal component analysis reveals that taxa employing frequent bridging and cantilevering (C. philander and lorises) also exhibit reduced intervertebral and intercostal spaces, which can serve to increase thoracolumbar stability, when compared to closely related species (M. domestica and C. medius). We observed C. philander cantilevering and bridging significantly more often than M. domestica, which never cantilevered or crossed any arboreal gaps. Although no difference in the frequency of cantilevering was observed between L. tardigradus and C. medius, the duration of cantilevering bouts was significantly greater in L. tardigradus. These data suggest that osteological features promoting axial rigidity may be part of a morpho-behavioral complex that increases stability in mammals moving and foraging in a terminal branch environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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19
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Neufuss J, Hesse B, Thorpe SKS, Vereecke EE, D'Aout K, Fischer MS, Schilling N. Fibre type composition in the lumbar perivertebral muscles of primates: implications for the evolution of orthogrady in hominoids. J Anat 2013; 224:113-31. [PMID: 24433382 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The axial musculoskeletal system is important for the static and dynamic control of the body during both locomotor and non-locomotor behaviour. As a consequence, major evolutionary changes in the positional habits of a species are reflected by morpho-functional adaptations of the axial system. Because of the remarkable phenotypic plasticity of muscle tissue, a close relationship exists between muscle morphology and function. One way to explore major evolutionary transitions in muscle function is therefore by comparative analysis of fibre type composition. In this study, the three-dimensional distribution of slow and fast muscle fibres was analysed in the lumbar perivertebral muscles of two lemuriform (mouse lemur, brown lemur) and four hominoid primate species (white-handed gibbon, orangutan, bonobo, chimpanzee) in order to develop a plausible scenario for the evolution of the contractile properties of the axial muscles in hominoids and to discern possible changes in muscle physiology that were associated with the evolution of orthogrady. Similar to all previously studied quadrupedal mammals, the lemuriform primates in this study exhibited a morpho-functional dichotomy between deep slow contracting local stabilizer muscles and superficial fast contracting global mobilizers and stabilizers and thus retained the fibre distribution pattern typical for quadrupedal non-primates. In contrast, the hominoid primates showed no regionalization of the fibre types, similar to previous observations in Homo. We suggest that this homogeneous fibre composition is associated with the high functional versatility of the axial musculature that was brought about by the evolution of orthograde behaviours and reflects the broad range of mechanical demands acting on the trunk in orthograde hominoids. Because orthogrady is a derived character of euhominoids, the uniform fibre type distribution is hypothesized to coincide with the evolution of orthograde behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Neufuss
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany; Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Whitcome KK. Functional implications of variation in lumbar vertebral count among hominins. J Hum Evol 2012; 62:486-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2010] [Revised: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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21
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Goetz L, Piallat B, Thibaudier Y, Montigon O, David O, Chabardès S. A non-human primate model of bipedal locomotion under restrained condition allowing gait studies and single unit brain recordings. J Neurosci Methods 2011; 204:306-17. [PMID: 22155386 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2011] [Revised: 09/23/2011] [Accepted: 11/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
For decades, several animal models of locomotion have allowed a better understanding of the basic physiological mechanisms of gait. However, unlike most of the mammals, the Order Primates is characterized by fundamental changes in locomotor behaviour. In particular, some primates use a specific pattern of locomotion and are able to naturally walk bipedally due possibly to a specific supra-spinal control of locomotion. These features must be taken into account when one considers to study the intrinsic properties of human gait. Thus, an experimental model of bipedal locomotion allowing precise and reproducible analysis of gait in non-human primate is still lacking. This study describes a non-human primate model of bipedal locomotion under restrained condition. We undertook a kinematic and biomechanic study in three Macaca fascicularis trained to walk bipedally on a treadmill. One of the primate was evaluated in complete head fixation. Gait visual analysis and electromyographic recordings provided pertinent description of the gait pattern. Step frequencies, step lengths, cycle and stance phase durations were correlated with Froude number (dimensionless velocity), whereas swing phase durations remained non-correlated. Gait patterns observed in our model were similar to those obtained in freely bipedal Macaca fuscata and to a lesser extend to Humans. Gait pattern was not modified by head fixation thereby allowing us to perform precise and repetitive micro electrode recordings of deep cerebral structures. Thus, the present model could provide a pertinent pre-clinical tool to study gait parameters and their neuronal control but also could be helpful to validate new therapeutics interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Goetz
- Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Chemin Fortuné Ferrini, BP 170, 38042 Grenoble, France
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22
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Cotter MM, Loomis DA, Simpson SW, Latimer B, Hernandez CJ. Human evolution and osteoporosis-related spinal fractures. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26658. [PMID: 22028933 PMCID: PMC3197574 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2011] [Accepted: 09/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of evolutionary medicine examines the possibility that some diseases are the result of trade-offs made in human evolution. Spinal fractures are the most common osteoporosis-related fracture in humans, but are not observed in apes, even in cases of severe osteopenia. In humans, the development of osteoporosis is influenced by peak bone mass and strength in early adulthood as well as age-related bone loss. Here, we examine the structural differences in the vertebral bodies (the portion of the vertebra most commonly involved in osteoporosis-related fractures) between humans and apes before age-related bone loss occurs. Vertebrae from young adult humans and chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons (T8 vertebrae, n = 8–14 per species, male and female, humans: 20–40 years of age) were examined to determine bone strength (using finite element models), bone morphology (external shape), and trabecular microarchitecture (micro-computed tomography). The vertebrae of young adult humans are not as strong as those from apes after accounting for body mass (p<0.01). Human vertebrae are larger in size (volume, cross-sectional area, height) than in apes with a similar body mass. Young adult human vertebrae have significantly lower trabecular bone volume fraction (0.26±0.04 in humans and 0.37±0.07 in apes, mean ± SD, p<0.01) and thinner vertebral shells than apes (after accounting for body mass, p<0.01). Since human vertebrae are more porous and weaker than those in apes in young adulthood (after accounting for bone mass), even modest amounts of age-related bone loss may lead to vertebral fracture in humans, while in apes, larger amounts of bone loss would be required before a vertebral fracture becomes likely. We present arguments that differences in vertebral bone size and shape associated with reduced bone strength in humans is linked to evolutionary adaptations associated with bipedalism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan M. Cotter
- Department of Anatomy, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Musculoskeletal Mechanics and Materials Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Center for Human Origins, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David A. Loomis
- Musculoskeletal Mechanics and Materials Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Scott W. Simpson
- Department of Anatomy, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Center for Human Origins, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Bruce Latimer
- Center for Human Origins, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. Hernandez
- Center for Human Origins, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Schilling N. Evolution of the axial system in craniates: morphology and function of the perivertebral musculature. Front Zool 2011; 8:4. [PMID: 21306656 PMCID: PMC3041741 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-8-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 02/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The axial musculoskeletal system represents the plesiomorphic locomotor engine of the vertebrate body, playing a central role in locomotion. In craniates, the evolution of the postcranial skeleton is characterized by two major transformations. First, the axial skeleton became increasingly functionally and morphologically regionalized. Second, the axial-based locomotion plesiomorphic for craniates became progressively appendage-based with the evolution of extremities in tetrapods. These changes, together with the transition to land, caused increased complexity in the planes in which axial movements occur and moments act on the body and were accompanied by profound changes in axial muscle function. To increase our understanding of the evolutionary transformations of the structure and function of the perivertebral musculature, this review integrates recent anatomical and physiological data (e.g., muscle fiber types, activation patterns) with gross-anatomical and kinematic findings for pivotal craniate taxa. This information is mapped onto a phylogenetic hypothesis to infer the putative character set of the last common ancestor of the respective taxa and to conjecture patterns of locomotor and muscular evolution. The increasing anatomical and functional complexity in the muscular arrangement during craniate evolution is associated with changes in fiber angulation and fiber-type distribution, i.e., increasing obliqueness in fiber orientation and segregation of fatigue-resistant fibers in deeper muscle regions. The loss of superficial fatigue-resistant fibers may be related to the profound gross anatomical reorganization of the axial musculature during the tetrapod evolution. The plesiomorphic function of the axial musculature -mobilization- is retained in all craniates. Along with the evolution of limbs and the subsequent transition to land, axial muscles additionally function to globally stabilize the trunk against inertial and extrinsic limb muscle forces as well as gravitational forces. Associated with the evolution of sagittal mobility and a parasagittal limb posture, axial muscles in mammals also stabilize the trunk against sagittal components of extrinsic limb muscle action as well as the inertia of the body's center of mass. Thus, the axial system is central to the static and dynamic control of the body posture in all craniates and, in gnathostomes, additionally provides the foundation for the mechanical work of the appendicular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Schilling
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany.
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Tan U. Uner tan syndrome: history, clinical evaluations, genetics, and the dynamics of human quadrupedalism. Open Neurol J 2010; 4:78-89. [PMID: 21258577 PMCID: PMC3024602 DOI: 10.2174/1874205x01004010078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2010] [Revised: 06/14/2010] [Accepted: 06/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This review includes for the first time a dynamical systems analysis of human quadrupedalism in Uner Tan syndrome, which is characterized by habitual quadrupedalism, impaired intelligence, and rudimentary speech. The first family was discovered in a small village near Iskenderun, and families were later found in Adana and two other small villages near Gaziantep and Canakkale. In all the affected individuals dynamic balance was impaired during upright walking, and they habitually preferred walking on all four extremities. MRI scans showed inferior cerebellovermian hypoplasia with slightly simplified cerebral gyri in three of the families, but appeared normal in the fourth. PET scans showed a decreased glucose metabolic activity in the cerebellum, vermis and, to a lesser extent the cerebral cortex, except for one patient, whose MRI scan also appeared to be normal. All four families had consanguineous marriages in their pedigrees, suggesting autosomal recessive transmission. The syndrome was genetically heterogeneous. Since the initial discoveries more cases have been found, and these exhibit facultative quadrupedal locomotion, and in one case, late childhood onset. It has been suggested that the human quadrupedalism may, at least, be a phenotypic example of reverse evolution. From the viewpoint of dynamic systems theory, it was concluded there may not be a single factor that predetermines human quadrupedalism in Uner Tan syndrome, but that it may involve self-organization, brain plasticity, and rewiring, from the many decentralized and local interactions among neuronal, genetic, and environmental subsystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uner Tan
- Department of Physiology, Çukurova University, Medical School, 01330 Adana, Turkey
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25
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Schilling N, Carrier DR. Function of the epaxial muscles in walking, trotting and galloping dogs: implications for the evolution of epaxial muscle function in tetrapods. J Exp Biol 2010; 213:1490-502. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.039487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
The body axis plays a central role in tetrapod locomotion. It contributes to the work of locomotion, provides the foundation for the production of mechanical work by the limbs, is central to the control of body posture, and integrates limb and trunk actions. The epaxial muscles of mammals have been suggested to mobilize and globally stabilize the trunk, but the timing and the degree to which they serve a particular function likely depend on the gait and the vertebral level. To increase our understanding of their function, we recorded the activity of the m. multifidus lumborum and the m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum at three cranio-caudal levels in dogs while they walked, trotted and galloped. The level of muscle recruitment was significantly higher during trotting than during walking, but was similar during trotting and galloping. During walking, epaxial muscle activity is appropriate to produce lateral bending and resist long-axis torsion of the trunk and forces produced by extrinsic limb muscles. During trotting, they also stabilize the trunk in the sagittal plane against the inertia of the center of mass. Muscle recruitment during galloping is consistent with the production of sagittal extension. The sequential activation along the trunk during walking and galloping is in accord with the previously observed traveling waves of lateral and sagittal bending, respectively, while synchronized activity during trotting is consistent with a standing wave of trunk bending. Thus, the cranio-caudal recruitment patterns observed in dogs resemble plesiomorphic motor patterns of tetrapods. In contrast to other tetrapods, mammals display bilateral activity during symmetrical gaits that provides increased sagittal stability and is related to the evolution of a parasagittal limb posture and greater sagittal mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Schilling
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Erbertstrasse 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - David R. Carrier
- Department of Biology, 201 South Biology Building, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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26
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Flores DA, Díaz MM. Postcranial Skeleton of Glironia venusta (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae, Caluromyinae): Description and Functional Morphology. ZOOSYST EVOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1002/zoos.200900009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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27
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Schilling N. Metabolic profile of the perivertebral muscles in small therian mammals: implications for the evolution of the mammalian trunk musculature. ZOOLOGY 2009; 112:279-304. [PMID: 19375292 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2008.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2008] [Revised: 07/23/2008] [Accepted: 09/28/2008] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In order to gain a better understanding of the ancestral properties of the perivertebral muscles of mammals, this study investigated the fiber type composition of these muscles in six small, extant therians (two metatherians and four eutherians) similar in body shape to early mammals. Despite a few species-specific differences, the investigated species were very similar in their overall distribution of fiber types indicating similar functional demands on the back muscles in mammals of this body size and shape. Deep and short, mono- or multisegmental muscles (i.e., mm. interspinales, intermammillares, rotatores et intertransversarii) consistently showed the highest percentage of slow, oxidative fibers implying a function as local stabilizers of the vertebral column. Superficial and large, polysegmental muscles (i.e., mm. multifidus, sacrospinalis, iliopsoas et psoas minor) were predominantly composed of fast, glycolytic fibers suggesting they function to both globally stabilize and mobilize the spine during rapid non-locomotor and locomotor activities. Some muscles contained striking accumulations of oxidative fibers in specific regions (mm. longissimus et quadratus lumborum). These regions are hypothesized to function independently from the rest of the muscle belly and may be comparable in their functionality to regionalized limb muscles. The deep, central oxidative region in the m. longissimus lumborum appears to be a general feature of mammals and likely serves a proprioceptive function to control the postural equilibrium of the pelvic girdle and lumbar spine. The potential functions of the m. quadratus lumborum during ventilation and ventral stabilization of the vertebral column are discussed. Because representatives of the stem lineage of mammals were comparable in their body proportions and probably also locomotor parameters to the species investigated here, I suggest that the described fiber type distribution is representative of the ancestral condition in mammals. The origin of mammals was associated with a substantial enlargement of the epaxial muscles and the addition of subvertebral muscle mass. Because this novel muscle mass is mainly composed of fast, glycolytic fibers in extant species, it is plausible that these changes were associated with the evolution of increased sagittal mobility in the posterior trunk region in the therapsid ancestors of mammals. The caudally increasing role of sagittal bending in body propulsion is consistent with the overall increase in the percentage of glycolytic fibers in the cranio-caudal direction. The evolution of mammals was also associated with a loss of ribs in the posterior region of the trunk. This loss of ribs is thought to have decreased the stability of the posterior trunk, which may explain the observed greater oxidative capacity of the caudal local stabilizers. The increased need for postural feedback in the more mobile lumbar region may also explain the evolution of the proprioceptive system in the m. longissimus lumborum. Furthermore, the anatomical subdivision of the transversospinal muscle into several smaller muscle entities is suggested to facilitate their functional specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Schilling
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erbertstrasse 1, Jena, Germany.
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Abstract
SUMMARY
In mammals, the epaxial muscles are believed to stabilize the trunk during walking and trotting because the timing of their activity is not appropriate to produce bending of the trunk. To test whether this is indeed the case, we recorded the activity of the m. multifidus lumborum and the m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum at three different sites along the trunk (T13, L3, L6) as we manipulated the moments acting on the trunk and the pelvis in dogs trotting on a treadmill. Confirming results of previous studies, both muscles exhibited a biphasic and bilateral activity. The higher burst was associated with the second half of ipsilateral hindlimb stance phase, the smaller burst occurred during the second half of ipsilateral hindlimb swing phase. The asymmetry was noticeably larger in the m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum than in the m. multifidus lumborum. Although our manipulations of the inertia of the trunk produced results that are consistent with previous studies indicating that the epaxial muscles stabilize the trunk against accelerations in the sagittal plane, the responses of the epaxial muscles to manipulations of trunk inertia were small compared with their responses when moments produced by the extrinsic muscles of the hindlimb were manipulated. Our results indicate that the multifidus and longissimus muscles primarily stabilize the pelvis against(1) vertical components of hindlimb retractor muscles and (2) horizontal components of the hindlimb protractor and retractor muscles. Consistent with this, stronger effects of the manipulations were observed in the posterior sampling sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Schilling
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology,Friedrich-Schiller-University, Erbertstrasse 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - David R. Carrier
- Department of Biology, 201 South Biology Building, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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Flores DA. Phylogenetic Analyses of Postcranial Skeletal Morphology in Didelphid Marsupials. BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2009. [DOI: 10.1206/320.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Moritz S, Fischer MS, Schilling N. Three-dimensional fibre-type distribution in the paravertebral muscles of the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius f. furo) with relation to functional demands during locomotion. ZOOLOGY 2007; 110:197-211. [PMID: 17512707 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2007.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2006] [Revised: 01/25/2007] [Accepted: 01/29/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the functional corollaries of a relatively long trunk with regard to trunk use during overground and underground locomotion and with regard to fibre-type distribution within the paravertebral musculature using the example of the domestic ferret. Fibre-type distribution was determined using enzyme histochemistry on serial cross-sections through the complete musculo-skeletal apparatus. Back posture and back movements were analysed using cineradiography. During overground locomotion, the back is bent into an arch, resulting in a back length comparable to normally proportioned small mammals. During underground locomotion, the back is held straight, resulting in greater rotational inertia and higher stabilisation requirements. This is reflected in the fibre-type distribution pattern, which differs clearly from that of all other mammals investigated so far. Instead of being separated into superficial, glycolytic and deep, oxidative parts, all the epaxial and the iliopsoas muscles consisted of 20-30% oxidative, 20-30% oxidative-glycolytic and 40-60% glycolytic fibres, with no or only minor differences between superficial and profound muscles or muscle regions. Only the quadratus lumborum muscle showed a fibre-type distribution comparable to other mammals, reflecting its primary function as an accessory muscle of respiration. We suggest that the observed pattern reflects the adaptation of the back muscles to the functional demands of a long trunk and the increased need to stabilise it during overground and especially underground locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Moritz
- Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, 07743 Jena, Germany.
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31
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Vereecke EE, D'Août K, Payne R, Aerts P. Functional analysis of the foot and ankle myology of gibbons and bonobos. J Anat 2005; 206:453-76. [PMID: 15857366 PMCID: PMC1571504 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2005.00412.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the foot and ankle myology of gibbons and bonobos, and compares it with the human foot. Gibbons and bonobos are both highly arboreal species, yet they have a different locomotor behaviour. Gibbon locomotion is almost exclusively arboreal and is characterized by speed and mobility, whereas bonobo locomotion entails some terrestrial knuckle-walking and both mobility and stability are important. We examine if these differences in locomotion are reflected in their foot myology. Therefore, we have executed detailed dissections of the lower hind limb of two bonobo and three gibbon cadavers. We took several measurements on the isolated muscles (mass, length, physiological cross sectional area, etc.) and calculated the relative muscle masses and belly lengths of the major muscle groups to make interspecific comparisons. An extensive description of all foot and ankle muscles is given and differences between gibbons, bonobos and humans are discussed. No major differences were found between the foot and ankle musculature of both apes; however, marked differences were found between the ape and human foot. The human foot is specialized for solely one type of locomotion, whereas ape feet are extremely adaptable to a wide variety of locomotor modes. Apart from providing interesting anatomical data, this study can also be helpful for the interpretation of fossil (pre)hominids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie E Vereecke
- Laboratory for Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
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Schilling N. Characteristics of paravertebral muscles - fibre type distribution pattern in the pika, Ochotona rufescens (Mammalia: Lagomorpha). J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2004.00295.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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ARGOT CHRISTINE. Evolution of South American mammalian predators (Borhyaenoidea): anatomical and palaeobiological implications. Zool J Linn Soc 2004. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2004.00110.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Schmitt D. Insights into the evolution of human bipedalism from experimental studies of humans and other primates. J Exp Biol 2003; 206:1437-48. [PMID: 12654883 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.00279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
An understanding of the evolution of human bipedalism can provide valuable insights into the biomechanical and physiological characteristics of locomotion in modern humans. The walking gaits of humans, other bipeds and most quadrupedal mammals can best be described by using an inverted-pendulum model, in which there is minimal change in flexion of the limb joints during stance phase. As a result, it seems logical that the evolution of bipedalism in humans involved a simple transition from a relatively stiff-legged quadrupedalism in a terrestrial ancestor to relatively stiff-legged bipedalism in early humans. However, experimental studies of locomotion in humans and nonhuman primates have shown that the evolution of bipedalism involved a much more complex series of transitions, originating with a relatively compliant form of quadrupedalism. These studies show that relatively compliant walking gaits allow primates to achieve fast walking speeds using long strides, low stride frequencies, relatively low peak vertical forces, and relatively high impact shock attenuation ratios. A relatively compliant, ape-like bipedal walking style is consistent with the anatomy of early hominids and may have been an effective gait for a small biped with relatively small and less stabilized joints, which had not yet completely forsaken arboreal locomotion. Laboratory-based studies of primates also suggest that human bipedalism arose not from a terrestrial ancestor but rather from a climbing, arboreal forerunner. Experimental data, in conjunction with anatomical data on early human ancestors, show clearly that a relatively stiff modern human gait and associated physiological and anatomical adaptations are not primitive retentions from a primate ancestor, but are instead recently acquired characters of our genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Schmitt
- Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy, Duke University, Durham NC, USA.
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Argot C. Functional-adaptive anatomy of the axial skeleton of some extant marsupials and the paleobiology of the paleocene marsupials Mayulestes ferox and Pucadelphys andinus. J Morphol 2003; 255:279-300. [PMID: 12520547 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the axial skeletons of two Early Paleocene marsupials, Mayulestes ferox and Pucadelphys andinus, were analyzed functionally and compared to that of six South American and three Australian species of extant marsupials. In the case of the South American opossums, myological data of the epaxial musculature were collected and analyzed and osteological-myological associations were related to locomotor behavior. Various features of the vertebral column that relate to diet or to locomotor or postural patterns were pointed out. These features include: the craniocaudal development of the neural process of the axis; the position of the anticlinal vertebra; the morphology of the neural processes of the thoracolumbar vertebrae (orientation, length, and craniocaudal width); the length, orientation, and curvature of the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae; and the length and robustness of the caudal vertebrae. In both fossil forms the vertebral column is mobile and allows a great range of flexion and extension of the spine, more so than in most of the living didelphids. It is emphasized here that the analysis of the axial skeleton complements and improves the conclusions provided by the forelimb and hindlimb analyses. It is proposed that Mayulestes and Pucadelphys represent an ancestral morphotype suggesting that the generalized type of locomotion of Paleocene marsupials was partly terrestrial with some climbing ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Argot
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, UMR 8569 du CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France.
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D'Août K, Aerts P, De Clercq D, De Meester K, Van Elsacker L. Segment and joint angles of hind limb during bipedal and quadrupedal walking of the bonobo (Pan paniscus). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2002; 119:37-51. [PMID: 12209572 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.10112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We describe segment angles (trunk, thigh, shank, and foot) and joint angles (hip, knee, and ankle) for the hind limbs of bonobos walking bipedally ("bent-hip bent-knee walking," 17 sequences) and quadrupedally (33 sequences). Data were based on video recordings (50 Hz) of nine subjects in a lateral view, walking at voluntary speed. The major differences between bipedal and quadrupedal walking are found in the trunk, thigh, and hip angles. During bipedal walking, the trunk is approximately 33-41 degrees more erect than during quadrupedal locomotion, although it is considerably more bent forward than in normal human locomotion. Moreover, during bipedal walking, the hip has a smaller range of motion (by 12 degrees ) and is more extended (by 20-35 degrees ) than during quadrupedal walking. In general, angle profiles in bonobos are much more variable than in humans. Intralimb phase relationships of subsequent joint angles show that hip-knee coordination is similar for bipedal and quadrupedal walking, and resembles the human pattern. The coordination between knee and ankle differs much more from the human pattern. Based on joint angles observed throughout stance phase and on the estimation of functional leg length, an efficient inverted pendulum mechanism is not expected in bonobos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristiaan D'Août
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
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Abstract
SUMMARY
One of the features that distinguish mammals from other groups of terrestrial vertebrates is the structure and relative size of their epaxial muscles. Yet we have only a superficial understanding of the role these muscles play in locomotion. To address their locomotor function, we recorded the electrical activity of the iliocostalis, longissimus dorsi and multifidus muscles of trotting dogs. Activity was monitored at both lumbar and thoracic sites. To develop and evaluate hypotheses of epaxial muscle function, we quantified footfall patterns and sagittal trunk kinematics from high-speed videos, and the magnitude and orientation of ground reaction forces from force-plate recordings. All three epaxial muscles tended to exhibit a double-bursting (biphasic) activity pattern, with the exception of the iliocostalis muscle at the thoracic site (which was uniphasic). In general, a large burst of activity in each muscle occurred during the second half of the support phase of the ipsilateral hindlimb, and was active for an average of 30% of the locomotor cycle. A smaller burst of activity occurred during the second half of the support phase of the contralateral hindlimb, and was active for an average of 15% of the locomotor cycle. Analysis of ground reaction forces and sagittal trunk kinematics led us to the hypothesis that the epaxial muscles do not directly stabilize the trunk against the vertical and horizontal components of the ground reaction force. Instead, the epaxial muscles appear to counteract the tendency of the trunk to rebound (flex) in the sagittal plane during the latter half of the support phase. This hypothesis of epaxial muscle function was supported by loading experiments performed on the longissimus dorsi muscle in the lumbar region.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Ritter
- Biology Department, Heidelberg College, 310 E. Market Sreet, Tiffin, OH 44883, USA.
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Robert C, Audigié F, Valette JP, Pourcelot P, Denoix JM. Effects of treadmill speed on the mechanics of the back in the trotting saddlehorse. Equine Vet J 2001:154-9. [PMID: 11721558 DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2001.tb05380.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Speed related changes in trunk mechanics have not yet been investigated, although high-speed training is currently used in the horse. To evaluate the effects of speed on back kinematics and trunk muscles activity, 4 saddle horses were recorded while trotting on a horizontal treadmill at speeds ranging from 3.5 to 6 m/s. The 3-dimensional (3-D) trajectories of skin markers on the left side of the horse and the dorsal midline of the trunk were established. Electrical activity was simultaneously obtained from the longissimus dorsi (LD) and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles using surface electrodes. Ten consecutive strides were analysed for each horse at each of the 5 velocity steps. Electromyographic and kinematic data were time-standardised to the duration of the stride cycle and compared using an analysis of variance. The back extended during the first part of each diagonal stance phase when the RA was active and the back flexed during the second part of each diagonal stance phase when the LD was active. The onset and end of muscle activity came earlier in the stride cycle and muscle activity intensity increased when speed increased. The amplitude of vertical movement of the trunk and the maximal angles of flexion decreased with increasing speed, whereas the extension angles remained unchanged. This resulted in a decreased range of back flexion-extension. This study confirms that the primary role of trunk muscles is to control the stiffness of the back rather than to induce movements. Understanding the effects of speed on the back of healthy horses is a prerequisite for the prevention and treatment of back pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Robert
- UMR INRA, Biomécanique et Pathologie Locomotrice du Cheval, UP d'Anatomie, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, F-94704 Maisons-Alfort, France
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Audigié F, Pourcelot P, Degueurce C, Denoix JM, Geiger D. Kinematics of the equine back: flexion-extension movements in sound trotting horses. Equine Vet J 1999:210-3. [PMID: 10659253 DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05219.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study was undertaken to evaluate the flexion-extension movements of the back in a group of sound trotting horses. Using a 3-D kinematic analysis system, 13 clinically sound horses fitted with 5 skin markers placed on the dorsal midline of their trunk were recorded while trotting on a track in the conditions of the routine lameness examination. These markers were used to calculate 3 back angles (thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral angle). These back angles were then filtered using Fourier series. To evaluate the repeatability of flexion-extension movements, the intra- and inter-individual variabilities were studied. The angle-time diagrams showed that the equine back extended during the first part of each diagonal stance phase and flexed during the second part of each diagonal stance phase. The ranges of motion were less than 4 degrees for the 3 back angles. The intra- and inter-individual variability values of maximal extension and maximal flexion time points were similar and extremely low. This demonstrates the high repeatability of the temporal pattern of flexion-extension movements of the back. Intra- and inter-individual variabilities of the range of motion showed that the back mobility varies more in-between horses than between trials of the same horse. Compared with electromyographic activities of back muscles reported in the literature, flexion-extension movements described in this study tend to show that, at a slow trot, trunk muscles act mainly to limit flexion-extension movements of the back rather than to induce movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Audigié
- E.A. INRA Biomécanique du Cheval, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
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Johnson SE, Shapiro LJ. Positional behavior and vertebral morphology in atelines and cebines. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1998; 105:333-54. [PMID: 9545076 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199803)105:3<333::aid-ajpa4>3.0.co;2-s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Atelines are of particular interest to primate evolutionary studies because they converge with hominoids in postcranial anatomy, including the vertebral column. Currently, our understanding of ateline vertebral morphology is limited to mainly qualitative descriptions and functional interpretations based on general categories of positional behavior. Even less is known about the vertebrae of other platyrrhines. This study more closely examines vertebral form and function in atelines and cebines by combining direct field observations of axial postures and movements, assessments of spinal loading regimes, and a detailed vertebral morphometric analysis. Field observations (Corcovado, Costa Rica) on Ateles geoffroyi, Alouatta palliata, Cebus capucinus, and Saimiri oerstedii were quantified in conjunction with a morphometric analysis of ateline and cebine lumbar vertebrae. Hylobates was also included for comparison. Compared to Cebus and Saimiri, atelines engage more frequently in postures and locomotor behaviors that induce pronounced bending loads on the spine. All atelines share lumbar adaptations for resisting bending, including ventrodorsally elongated vertebral bodies and perpendicularly oriented transverse processes. Among atelines, lumbar region lengths and vertebral bodies are shortest in Ateles and Brachyteles, longest in Alouatta (resembling Cebus), and intermediate in Lagothrix. Compared to Cebus and all atelines, Saimiri has a relatively longer lumbar region, longer and less ventrodorsally expanded vertebral bodies, and more ventrally oriented transverse processes. These features accentuate bending loads, but increase the sagittal flexibility required for leaping. Vertebral convergence between hylobatids and atelines is more readily interpretable as a product of shared spinal loading patterns than shared positional behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- S E Johnson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 78712-1086, USA
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Abstract
The activation patterns in the longissimus and gastrocnemius muscles during the development of the mature type of locomotion were studied in rats from the 11th day until maturity. The EMG's of these muscles were recorded and movements were simultaneously recorded on videotape. Results indicate that during locomotion at early ages, the longissimus muscles are activated irregularly. From the 16th day, the bursts in the longissimus muscle become more pronounced. During locomotion, they are activated differentially and often a simultaneous activation of the longissimus and the contralateral gastrocnemius muscle was observed. From the 20th day, bursts in the gastrocnemius muscle during walking coincide with bursts in the ipsilateral longissimus muscle. Our results demonstrate that the mature type of postural control (from the 20th day) develops a few days after the development of the mature type of fluent walking (around the 15th-16th day).
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gramsbergen
- Medical Physiology/Developmental Neurology, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Shapiro LJ, Anapol FC, Jungers WL. Interlimb coordination, gait, and neural control of quadrupedalism in chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1997; 102:177-86. [PMID: 9066899 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199702)102:2<177::aid-ajpa3>3.0.co;2-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Interlimb coordination is directly relevant to the understanding of the neural control of locomotion, but few studies addressing this topic for nonhuman primates are available, and no data exist for any hominoid other than humans. As a follow-up to Jungers and Anapol's ([1985] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 67:89-97) analysis on a lemur and talapoin monkey, we describe here the patterns of interlimb coordination in two chimpanzees as revealed by electromyography. Like the lemur and talapoin monkey, ipsilateral limb coupling in chimpanzees is characterized by variability about preferred modes within individual gaits. During symmetrical gaits, limb coupling patterns in the chimpanzee are also influenced by kinematic differences in hindlimb placement ("overstriding"). These observations reflect the neurological constraints placed on locomotion but also emphasize the overall flexibility of locomotor neural mechanisms. Interlimb coordination patterns are also species-specific, exhibiting significant differences among primate taxa and between primates and cats. Interspecific differences may be suggestive of phylogenetic divergence in the basic mechanisms for neural control of locomotion, but do not preclude morphological explanations for observed differences in interlimb coordination across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Shapiro
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin 78712, USA
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