Your Spinal Cord Can Learn And Recall Without Brain Input And We Finally Know How
Devoid of a head, many insects will continue to kick and twitch until at last, drained of all life, their movements grind to a complete stop.

Scientists have known for some time that the spinal cord is capable of executing limb movements beyond reflex jerking motions, even to the point of adapting to avoid unpleasant stimulations.

Just how its neurons 'learn' new responses without the brain's say-so has never been clear.

A study on transgenic mice conducted by researchers from the VIB-Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders in Belgium has discovered the role of a specific gene expressed in spinal nerves in memorizing responses to potential threats.