Sweden-based Karolinska Institutet researchers discovered the spinal cord possesses its own system for sensing and regulating pH changes, according to Medical Xpress.
Current Biology published the findings.
Here are four takeaways:
1. The spinal cord's central canal cells detect pH and regulate it if it strays from normal levels.
2. pH deviations may impair the neural network functions.
3. The study found both a lower pH and a higher pH have inhibitory effects on the spinal cord's motor activity.
4. The central canal cells detect a pH change, resulting in the inhibition of the spinal cord's motor circuits. This depresses the motor activity, which returns the pH levels to normal.