Postural adjustments to head movements in the cat

Head movements induced by motor cortex stimulation in the cat are accompanied by variations in the vertical force exerted by each limb. These postural responses were found to show stereotyped patterns: with head dorsiflexions an increase was observed in the force exerted by the anterior limbs and a decrease at the posterior limb level. From comparison between the latencies of the force variations, the beginning of head acceleration, and EMG activity in the limb extensor muscles, it was concluded that triggering of these postural responses is not reflex, but depends on the same command as the movement itself. This early response might be a means of avoiding the downward movement of the trunk which would otherwise result from the reaction force corresponding to the upward head movement.