Basal Ganglia Circuits for Action Specification

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 485-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junchol Park ◽  
Luke T. Coddington ◽  
Joshua T. Dudman
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Careful Study ◽  
Discrete Movements ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Selection Of

Behavior is readily classified into patterns of movements with inferred common goals—actions. Goals may be discrete; movements are continuous. Through the careful study of isolated movements in laboratory settings, or via introspection, it has become clear that animals can exhibit exquisite graded specification to their movements. Moreover, graded control can be as fundamental to success as the selection of which action to perform under many naturalistic scenarios: a predator adjusting its speed to intercept moving prey, or a tool-user exerting the perfect amount of force to complete a delicate task. The basal ganglia are a collection of nuclei in vertebrates that extend from the forebrain (telencephalon) to the midbrain (mesencephalon), constituting a major descending extrapyramidal pathway for control over midbrain and brainstem premotor structures. Here we discuss how this pathway contributes to the continuous specification of movements that endows our voluntary actions with vigor and grace.

scholarly journals The Lamprey Forebrain – Evolutionary Implications

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Shreyas M. Suryanarayana ◽  
Juan Pérez-Fernández ◽  
Brita Robertson ◽  
Sten Grillner
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Sensory Integration ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
Common Ancestry ◽  
Dopamine System ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Neural Processes ◽  
Living Group ◽  
Selection Of

The forebrain plays a critical role in a broad range of neural processes encompassing sensory integration and initiation/selection of behaviour. The forebrain functions through an interaction between different cortical areas, the thalamus, the basal ganglia with the dopamine system, and the habenulae. The ambition here is to compare the mammalian forebrain with that of the lamprey representing the oldest now living group of vertebrates, by a review of earlier studies. We show that the lamprey dorsal pallium has a motor, a somatosensory, and a visual area with retinotopic representation. The lamprey pallium was previously thought to be largely olfactory. There is also a detailed similarity between the lamprey and mammals with regard to other forebrain structures like the basal ganglia in which the general organisation, connectivity, transmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides, and expression of ion channels are virtually identical. These initially unexpected results allow for the possibility that many aspects of the basic design of the vertebrate forebrain had evolved before the lamprey diverged from the evolutionary line leading to mammals. Based on a detailed comparison between the mammalian forebrain and that of the lamprey and with due consideration of data from other vertebrate groups, we propose a compelling account of a pan-vertebrate schema for basic forebrain structures, suggesting a common ancestry of over half a billion years of vertebrate evolution.

Brain Imaging and Treatment Response in Spasmodic Torticollis

1988 ◽  
Vol 153 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. O. Besson ◽  
K. P. Ebmeier ◽  
H. G. Gemmell ◽  
P. F. Sharp ◽  
M. McFadyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Drug Treatment ◽  
Corpus Striatum ◽  
Spasmodic Torticollis ◽  
Flow Imaging ◽  
Blood Flow Imaging ◽  
The Right ◽  
Selection Of

A patient with spasms of the neck, occurring when he turned his head to the left, responded to treatment with benzhexol. Cerebral blood flow imaging demonstrated reduced uptake in the right corpus striatum compared with the left. The study demonstrates the presence of an abnormality in the basal ganglia; it also illustrates response to drug treatment. Cerebral blood flow imaging may be useful in the detection of basal ganglia abnormalities in spasmodic torticollis and assist in the selection of cases which should be targeted for treatment with drugs.

scholarly journals Selection of cortical dynamics for motor behaviour by the basal ganglia

2015 ◽  
Vol 109 (6) ◽  
pp. 575-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Mannella ◽  
Gianluca Baldassarre
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Motor Behaviour ◽  
Cortical Dynamics ◽  
Selection Of

Evolution of Weediness and Invasiveness: Charting the Course for Weed Genomics

Weed Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 451-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Neal Stewart ◽  
Patrick J. Tranel ◽  
David P. Horvath ◽  
James V. Anderson ◽  
Loren H. Rieseberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Weed Science ◽  
Weed Biology ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing Technology ◽  
Genomic Tools ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Selection Of Species ◽  
Collaborative Efforts ◽  
Selection Of

The genetic basis of weedy and invasive traits and their evolution remain poorly understood, but genomic approaches offer tremendous promise for elucidating these important features of weed biology. However, the genomic tools and resources available for weed research are currently meager compared with those available for many crops. Because genomic methodologies are becoming increasingly accessible and less expensive, the time is ripe for weed scientists to incorporate these methods into their research programs. One example is next-generation sequencing technology, which has the advantage of enhancing the sequencing output from the transcriptome of a weedy plant at a reduced cost. Successful implementation of these approaches will require collaborative efforts that focus resources on common goals and bring together expertise in weed science, molecular biology, plant physiology, and bioinformatics. We outline how these large-scale genomic programs can aid both our understanding of the biology of weedy and invasive plants and our success at managing these species in agriculture. The judicious selection of species for developing weed genomics programs is needed, and we offer up choices, but noArabidopsis-like model species exists in the world of weeds. We outline the roadmap for creating a powerful synergy of weed science and genomics, given well-placed effort and resources.

scholarly journals Dopaminergic modulation of basal ganglia output through coupled excitation–inhibition

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 5713-5718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Budzillo ◽  
Alison Duffy ◽  
Kimberly E. Miller ◽  
Adrienne L. Fairhall ◽  
David J. Perkel
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Dynamic Change ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Synaptic Connections ◽  
Biophysical Mechanism ◽  
Output Neurons ◽  
Neural Variability ◽  
Vocal Variability ◽  
Selection Of

Learning and maintenance of skilled movements require exploration of motor space and selection of appropriate actions. Vocal learning and social context-dependent plasticity in songbirds depend on a basal ganglia circuit, which actively generates vocal variability. Dopamine in the basal ganglia reduces trial-to-trial neural variability when the bird engages in courtship song. Here, we present evidence for a unique, tonically active, excitatory interneuron in the songbird basal ganglia that makes strong synaptic connections onto output pallidal neurons, often linked in time with inhibitory events. Dopamine receptor activity modulates the coupling of these excitatory and inhibitory events in vitro, which results in a dynamic change in the synchrony of a modeled population of basal ganglia output neurons receiving excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The excitatory interneuron thus serves as one biophysical mechanism for the introduction or modulation of neural variability in this circuit.

scholarly journals A Cortico-Basal Ganglia Model for choosing an optimal rehabilitation strategy in Hemiparetic Stroke

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rukhmani Narayanamurthy ◽  
Samyukta Jayakumar ◽  
Sundari Elango ◽  
Vignesh Muralidharan ◽  
V. Srinivasa Chakravarthy
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Lesion Size ◽  
Constraint Induced Movement Therapy ◽  
Reaching Tasks ◽  
Optimal Rehabilitation ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Hemiparetic Stroke ◽  
Rehabilitation Strategy ◽  
Bimanual Reaching ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractTo facilitate the selection of an optimal therapy for a stroke patient with upper extremity hemiparesis, we propose a cortico-basal ganglia model capable of performing reaching tasks under normal and stroke conditions. The model contains two hemispherical systems, each organized into an outer sensory-motor cortical loop and an inner basal ganglia (BG) loop, controlling their respective hands. In addition to constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT), the model performs both unimanual and bimanual reaching tasks and the simulation results are in congruence with the experiment conducted by Rose et al (2004). Based on our study on the effect of lesion size on arm performance, we hypothesize that the effectiveness of a therapy could greatly depend on this factor. By virtue of the model’s ability to capture the experimental results effectively, we believe that it can serve as a benchmark for the development and testing of various rehabilitation strategies for stroke.

scholarly journals Action selection and refinement in subcortical loops through basal ganglia and cerebellum

2007 ◽  
Vol 362 (1485) ◽  
pp. 1573-1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.C Houk ◽  
C Bastianen ◽  
D Fansler ◽  
A Fishbach ◽  
D Fraser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Distributed Processing ◽  
Serial Order ◽  
Action Selection ◽  
Recall Task ◽  
Natural Action ◽  
The Many ◽  
Selection Of

Subcortical loops through the basal ganglia and the cerebellum form computationally powerful distributed processing modules (DPMs). This paper relates the computational features of a DPM's loop through the basal ganglia to experimental results for two kinds of natural action selection. First, functional imaging during a serial order recall task was used to study human brain activity during the selection of sequential actions from working memory. Second, microelectrode recordings from monkeys trained in a step-tracking task were used to study the natural selection of corrective submovements. Our DPM-based model assisted in the interpretation of puzzling data from both of these experiments. We come to posit that the many loops through the basal ganglia each regulate the embodiment of pattern formation in a given area of cerebral cortex. This operation serves to instantiate different kinds of action (or thought) mediated by different areas of cerebral cortex. We then use our findings to formulate a model of the aetiology of schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Striatal indirect pathway mediates action switching via modulation of collicular dynamics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaeeon Lee ◽  
Bernardo L. Sabatini
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Indirect Pathway ◽  
Motor Programs ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Motor Actions ◽  
Major Drug ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractType 2 dopamine receptor-expressing, or indirect pathway striatal projection (iSPNs), neurons comprise one of two major pathways through the basal ganglia1, and are a major drug target for treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders2–4. The function of iSPNs is unclear with proposed roles in suppression of unwanted actions and in refining selection actions or their kinematics5–12. Here, we show that iSPNs can simultaneously suppress and facilitate conflicting motor actions in a lateralized licking task. Activation of iSPNs suppresses contraversive while promoting ipsiversive licking, allowing mice to rapidly switch between alternative motor programs. iSPN activity is prokinetic even when mice are not cued to perform an action. Activity in lateral superior colliculus (lSC), a basal ganglia target, is necessary for performing the task and predicts action. Furthermore, iSPN activation suppresses ipsilateral lSC, but surprisingly, excites contralateral lSC. iSPN activity has neuron-specific effects that, at the population level, steers the neural trajectory towards that associated with ipsiversive licking. Thus, our results reveal a previously unknown specificity of iSPNs effects on downstream brain regions, including the ability to excite contralateral regions and trigger motor programs. These results suggest a general circuit mechanism for flexible action switching during competitive selection of lateralized actions.

Microcircuits of the Striatum

2017 ◽  
pp. 121-132
Author(s):  
Natalie M. Doig ◽  
J. Paul Bolam
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Caudate Nucleus ◽  
Internal Capsule ◽  
Projection Neurons ◽  
Gabaergic Interneurons ◽  
Cholinergic Interneurons ◽  
Spiny Neurons ◽  
Output Neurons ◽  
Major Division ◽  
Selection Of

The striatum (or caudate-putamen, or caudate nucleus and putamen in those species in which they are divided by the internal capsule) is the major division of the basal ganglia, a group of structures involved in a variety of processes, including movement and cognitive and mnemonic functions. The striatum consists of a population of principal neurons, the medium-sized, densely spiny neurons (MSNs)—accounting for up to 97% of all neurons depending on species—which are the projection neurons of the striatum, several populations of GABAergic interneurons, and a population of cholinergic interneurons. The principal afferents of the striatum are glutamatergic, are derived from the cortex and thalamus, and mainly innervate the spines of MSNs. The essential computation performed by the striatum is the decision about which MSNs will fire, the consequence of which is altered firing of basal ganglia output neurons, and hence the selection of the basal ganglia–associated behavior.

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