Elsevier

Behavioural Brain Research

Volume 40, Issue 3, 30 November 1990, Pages 215-225
Behavioural Brain Research

Research report
Variability as a characteristic of immature motor systems: an electromyographic study of swimming in the newborn rat

https://doi.org/10.1016/0166-4328(90)90078-SGet rights and content

Abstract

Swimming behaviour was studied in neonate rats by carrying out electromyographic recordings. The study showed that the early swimming pattern was characterized by highly instable temporal parameters. A decrease was found to occur with age in the variability of the instantaneous period in each leg and in that of the antiphase pattern. Moreover, a dissociation occurred during development between the foreleg and the backleg activity. While patterns involving the forelegs always remained extremely instable, a considerable improvement was found to occur with time in the hindlimb activity.

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