Aging Changes the Contribution of Spinal and Corticospinal Pathways to Control Balance

The maintenance of balance in an upright posture involves the modulation of the spinal and descending pathways converging onto the motor neurons that innervate the ankle plantar flexor muscles. The present article examines the hypothesis of an age-associated change in the respective contributions of spinal and corticospinal pathways to adjust the soleus muscle activity when standing.