The Role of Basal Ganglia in Visuo- Motor Coordination, Insights from Different Disease Conditions

Author(s):  
Shraga Hocherman
Author(s):  
Adriane Guillaumin ◽  
Gian Pietro Serra ◽  
François Georges ◽  
Åsa Wallén-Mackenzie

AbstractThe subthalamic nucleus is important achieve intended movements. Loss of its normal function is strongly associated with several movement disorders. Classical basal ganglia models postulate that two parallel pathways, the direct and indirect pathways, exert opposing control over movement, with the subthalamic nucleus part of the indirect pathway through which competing motor programs are prevented. The subthalamic nucleus is regulated by both inhibitory and excitatory projections but experimental evidence for its role in motor control has remained sparse. The objective here was to tease out the selective impact of the subthalamic nucleus on several motor parameters required to achieve intended movement, including locomotion, balance and motor coordination. Optogenetic excitation and inhibition using both bilateral and unilateral stimulations of the subthalamic nucleus were implemented in freely-moving mice. The results demonstrate that selective optogenetic inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus enhances locomotion while its excitation reduces locomotion. These findings lend experimental support to basal ganglia models in terms of locomotion. However, further analysis of subthalamic nucleus excitation revealed grooming and disturbed gait. Selective excitation also caused reduced motor coordination, independent of grooming, in advanced motor tasks. This study contributes experimental evidence for a regulatory role of the subthalamic nucleus in motor control.HighlightsBilateral optogenetic excitation of the subthalamic nucleus in freely-moving mice reduces forward locomotion while optogenetic inhibition leads to its increase.Unilateral optogenetic excitation and inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus cause opposite rotational behavior.Bilateral optogenetic excitation, but not inhibition, of the subthalamic nucleus induces jumping and self-grooming behavior.Engaged in advanced motor tasks, bilateral optogenetic excitation causes mice to lose motor coordination.The results provide experimental support for predictions by the basal ganglia motor model on the role of the subthalamic nucleus in locomotion, and identifies a causal role for the subthalamic nucleus in self-grooming.


2021 ◽  
Vol 403 ◽  
pp. 113137
Author(s):  
Yuning Liu ◽  
Hong Xing ◽  
Fumiaki Yokoi ◽  
David E. Vaillancourt ◽  
Yuqing Li

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Xiao ◽  
Devin P. Merullo ◽  
Therese M. I. Koch ◽  
Mou Cao ◽  
Marissa Co ◽  
...  

AbstractDisruption of the transcription factor FoxP2, which is enriched in the basal ganglia, impairs vocal development in humans and songbirds. The basal ganglia are important for the selection and sequencing of motor actions, but the circuit mechanisms governing accurate sequencing of learned vocalizations are unknown. Here, we show that expression of FoxP2 in the basal ganglia is vital for the fluent initiation and termination of birdsong, as well as the maintenance of song syllable sequencing in adulthood. Knockdown of FoxP2 imbalances dopamine receptor expression across striatal direct-like and indirect-like pathways, suggesting a role of dopaminergic signaling in regulating vocal motor sequencing. Confirming this prediction, we show that phasic dopamine activation, and not inhibition, during singing drives repetition of song syllables, thus also impairing fluent initiation and termination of birdsong. These findings demonstrate discrete circuit origins for the dysfluent repetition of vocal elements in songbirds, with implications for speech disorders.


2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (5-6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Da Cunha ◽  
Alexander Gomez-A ◽  
Charles D. Blaha

1987 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
A S Walters ◽  
M Katchen ◽  
J Fleishman ◽  
S Chokroverty ◽  
R Duvoisin

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 130-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Paradiso ◽  
Danny Cunic ◽  
Robert Chen

Abstract Although it has long been suggested that the basal ganglia and thalamus are involved in movement planning and preparation, there was little direct evidence in humans to support this hypothesis. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established treatment for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, tremor, and dystonia. In patients undergoing DBS surgery, we recorded simultaneously from scalp contacts and from electrodes surgically implanted in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of 13 patients with Parkinson's disease and in the “cerebellar” thalamus of 5 patients with tremor. The aim of our studies was to assess the role of the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical loop through the STN and the cerebello-thalamocortical circuit through the “cerebellar” thalamus in movement preparation. The patients were asked to perform self-paced wrist extension movements. All subjects showed a cortical readiness potential (RP) with onset ranging between 1.5 to 2s before the onset of movement. Subcortical RPs were recorded in 11 of 13 with electrodes in the STN and in 4 of 5 patients with electrodes in the thalamus. The onset time of the STN and thalamic RPs were not significantly different from the onset time of the scalp RP. The STN and thalamic RPs were present before both contralateral and ipsilateral hand movements. Postoperative MRI studies showed that contacts with maximum RP amplitude generally were inside the target nucleus. These findings indicate that both the basal ganglia and the cerebellar circuits participate in movement preparation in parallel with the cortex.


1992 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 396-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranulfo Romo ◽  
Wolfram Schultz

2010 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. e185
Author(s):  
Ryoji Fukabori ◽  
Kana Okada ◽  
Nobuyuki Kai ◽  
Kenta Kobayashi ◽  
Yuji Tsutsui ◽  
...  

1987 ◽  
Vol 151 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. McKenna

The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia implies that positive schizophrenic symptoms should be understandable by reference to brain structures receiving a dopamine innervation, or in terms of the functional role of dopamine itself. The basal ganglia, ventral striatum, septo-hippocampal system, and prefrontal cortex, sites of mesotelencephalic dopamine innervation, are examined and it is argued that their dysfunction could form the basis of particular schizophrenic symptom classes. The postulated involvement of dopamine in reinforcement processes might further assist such interpretations. This type of analysis can be extended to other categories of schizophrenic psychopathology.


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