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Urban III ET, Hudson HM, Li Y, Nishibe M, Barbay S, Guggenmos DJ, Nudo RJ. Corticocortical connections of the rostral forelimb area in rats: a quantitative tract-tracing study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad530. [PMID: 38265300 PMCID: PMC10839842 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The rostral forelimb area (RFA) in the rat is a premotor cortical region based on its dense efferent projections to primary motor cortex. This study describes corticocortical connections of RFA and the relative strength of connections with other cortical areas. The goal was to provide a better understanding of the cortical network in which RFA participates, and thus, determine its function in sensorimotor behavior. The RFA of adult male Long-Evans rats (n = 6) was identified using intracortical microstimulation techniques and injected with the tract-tracer, biotinylated dextran amine (BDA). In post-mortem tissue, locations of BDA-labeled terminal boutons and neuronal somata were plotted and superimposed on cortical field boundaries. Quantitative estimates of terminal boutons in each region of interest were based on unbiased stereological methods. The results demonstrate that RFA has dense connections with primary motor cortex and frontal cortex medial and lateral to RFA. Moderate connections were found with insular cortex, primary somatosensory cortex (S1), the M1/S1 overlap zone, and lateral somatosensory areas. Cortical connections of RFA in rat are strikingly similar to cortical connections of the ventral premotor cortex in non-human primates, suggesting that these areas share similar functions and allow greater translation of rodent premotor cortex studies to primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward T Urban III
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Heather M Hudson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Yanming Li
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, United States
| | - Mariko Nishibe
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Scott Barbay
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - David J Guggenmos
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Randolph J Nudo
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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2
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Gómez LJ, Dooley JC, Blumberg MS. Activity in developing prefrontal cortex is shaped by sleep and sensory experience. eLife 2023; 12:82103. [PMID: 36745108 PMCID: PMC9901933 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In developing rats, behavioral state exerts a profound modulatory influence on neural activity throughout the sensorimotor system, including primary motor cortex (M1). We hypothesized that similar state-dependent modulation occurs in prefrontal cortical areas with which M1 forms functional connections. Here, using 8- and 12-day-old rats cycling freely between sleep and wake, we record neural activity in M1, secondary motor cortex (M2), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). At both ages in all three areas, neural activity increased during active sleep (AS) compared with wake. Also, regardless of behavioral state, neural activity in all three areas increased during periods when limbs were moving. The movement-related activity in M2 and mPFC, like that in M1, is driven by sensory feedback. Our results, which diverge from those of previous studies using anesthetized pups, demonstrate that AS-dependent modulation and sensory responsivity extend to prefrontal cortex. These findings expand the range of possible factors shaping the activity-dependent development of higher-order cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lex J Gómez
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - James C Dooley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Mark S Blumberg
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
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3
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Lazar L, Chand P, Rajan R, Mohammed H, Jain N. Somatosensory cortex of macaque monkeys is designed for opposable thumb. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:195-206. [PMID: 35226918 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of opposable thumb has enabled fine grasping ability and precision grip, therefore the ability to finely manipulate the objects and refined tool use. Since tactile inputs to an opposable thumb are often spatially and temporally out of sync with inputs from the fingers, we hypothesized that inputs from the opposable thumb would be processed in an independent module in the primary somatosensory cortex (area 3b). Here we show that in area 3b of macaque monkeys, most neurons in the thumb representation do not respond to tactile stimulation of other digits and receive few intrinsic cortical inputs from other digits. However, neurons in the representations of other 4 digits respond to touch on any of the 4 digits and interconnect significantly more. The thumb inputs are thus processed in an independent module, whereas there is a significantly more interdigital information exchange between the other digits. This cortical organization reflects behavioral use of a hand with an opposable thumb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslee Lazar
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar 122052, India.,Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, 322385, India
| | - Prem Chand
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar 122052, India.,Department of Zoology, Tilak Dhari Post Graduate College, V.B.S. Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, 222002, India
| | - Radhika Rajan
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar 122052, India.,Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Neeraj Jain
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar 122052, India.,Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering; and School of AI and Data Science, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Karwar, Jodhpur 342030, India
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4
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Carè M, Averna A, Barban F, Semprini M, De Michieli L, Nudo RJ, Guggenmos DJ, Chiappalone M. The impact of closed-loop intracortical stimulation on neural activity in brain-injured, anesthetized animals. Bioelectron Med 2022; 8:4. [PMID: 35220964 PMCID: PMC8883660 DOI: 10.1186/s42234-022-00086-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acquired brain injuries, such as stroke, are a major cause of long-term disability worldwide. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) can be used successfully to assist in guiding appropriate connections to restore lost sensorimotor integration. Activity-Dependent Stimulation (ADS) is a specific type of closed-loop ICMS that aims at coupling the activity of two different brain regions by stimulating one in response to activity in the other. Recently, ADS was used to effectively promote behavioral recovery in rodent models following a unilateral traumatic brain injury in the primary motor cortex. While behavioral benefits have been described, the neurophysiological changes in spared areas in response to this type of stimulation have not been fully characterized. Here we explored how single-unit spiking activity is impacted by a focal ischemic lesion and, subsequently, by an ADS treatment. METHODS Intracortical microelectrode arrays were implanted in the ipsilesional rostral forelimb area (RFA) to record spike activity and to trigger intracortical microstimulation in the primary somatosensory area (S1) of anaesthetized Long Evans rats. An ischemic injury was induced in the caudal forelimb area through microinjections of Endothelin-1. Activity from both RFA and S1 was recorded and analyzed off-line by evaluating possible changes, either induced by the lesion in the Control group or by stimulation in the ADS group. RESULTS We found that the ischemic lesion in the motor area led to an overall increase in spike activity within RFA and a decrease in S1 with respect to the baseline condition. Subsequent treatment with ADS increased the firing rate in both RFA and S1. Post-stimulation spiking activity was significantly higher compared to pre-stimulation activity in the ADS animals versus non-stimulated controls. Moreover, stimulation promoted the generation of highly synchronized bursting patterns in both RFA and S1 only in the ADS group. CONCLUSIONS This study describes the impact on single-unit activity in ipsilesional areas immediately following a cortical infarct and demonstrates that application of ADS is effective in altering this activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Carè
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, 16145, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Averna
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Aldo Ravelli Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Neurotherapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Barban
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, 16145, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marianna Semprini
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Randolph J Nudo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, 66160, USA
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas, 66160, USA
| | - David J Guggenmos
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, 66160, USA.
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas, 66160, USA.
| | - Michela Chiappalone
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, 16145, Genoa, Italy.
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5
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Dacre J, Colligan M, Clarke T, Ammer JJ, Schiemann J, Chamosa-Pino V, Claudi F, Harston JA, Eleftheriou C, Pakan JMP, Huang CC, Hantman AW, Rochefort NL, Duguid I. A cerebellar-thalamocortical pathway drives behavioral context-dependent movement initiation. Neuron 2021; 109:2326-2338.e8. [PMID: 34146469 PMCID: PMC8315304 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Executing learned motor behaviors often requires the transformation of sensory cues into patterns of motor commands that generate appropriately timed actions. The cerebellum and thalamus are two key areas involved in shaping cortical output and movement, but the contribution of a cerebellar-thalamocortical pathway to voluntary movement initiation remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated how an auditory "go cue" transforms thalamocortical activity patterns and how these changes relate to movement initiation. Population responses in dentate/interpositus-recipient regions of motor thalamus reflect a time-locked increase in activity immediately prior to movement initiation that is temporally uncoupled from the go cue, indicative of a fixed-latency feedforward motor timing signal. Blocking cerebellar or motor thalamic output suppresses movement initiation, while stimulation triggers movements in a behavioral context-dependent manner. Our findings show how cerebellar output, via the thalamus, shapes cortical activity patterns necessary for learned context-dependent movement initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Dacre
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Matt Colligan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Thomas Clarke
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Julian J Ammer
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Julia Schiemann
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Victor Chamosa-Pino
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Federico Claudi
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - J Alex Harston
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Constantinos Eleftheriou
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Janelle M P Pakan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | | | - Nathalie L Rochefort
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ian Duguid
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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6
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Warriner CL, Fageiry SK, Carmona LM, Miri A. Towards Cell and Subtype Resolved Functional Organization: Mouse as a Model for the Cortical Control of Movement. Neuroscience 2020; 450:151-160. [PMID: 32771500 PMCID: PMC10727850 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.07.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Despite a long history of interrogation, the functional organization of motor cortex remains obscure. A major barrier has been the inability to measure and perturb activity with sufficient resolution to reveal clear functional elements within motor cortex and its associated circuits. Increasingly, the mouse has been employed as a model to facilitate application of contemporary approaches with the potential to surmount this barrier. In this brief essay, we consider these approaches and their use in the context of studies aimed at resolving the logic of motor cortical operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L Warriner
- Department of Neuroscience, The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind, Brain, and Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Samaher K Fageiry
- Department of Neuroscience, The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind, Brain, and Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Lina M Carmona
- Department of Neuroscience, The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind, Brain, and Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Andrew Miri
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
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7
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Halley AC, Baldwin MKL, Cooke DF, Englund M, Krubitzer L. Distributed Motor Control of Limb Movements in Rat Motor and Somatosensory Cortex: The Sensorimotor Amalgam Revisited. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:6296-6312. [PMID: 32691053 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Which areas of the neocortex are involved in the control of movement, and how is motor cortex organized across species? Recent studies using long-train intracortical microstimulation demonstrate that in addition to M1, movements can be elicited from somatosensory regions in multiple species. In the rat, M1 hindlimb and forelimb movement representations have long been thought to overlap with somatosensory representations of the hindlimb and forelimb in S1, forming a partial sensorimotor amalgam. Here we use long-train intracortical microstimulation to characterize the movements elicited across frontal and parietal cortex. We found that movements of the hindlimb, forelimb, and face can be elicited from both M1 and histologically defined S1 and that representations of limb movement types are different in these two areas. Stimulation of S1 generates retraction of the contralateral forelimb, while stimulation of M1 evokes forelimb elevation movements that are often bilateral, including a rostral region of digit grasping. Hindlimb movement representations include distinct regions of hip flexion and hindlimb retraction evoked from S1 and hip extension evoked from M1. Our data indicate that both S1 and M1 are involved in the generation of movement types exhibited during natural behavior. We draw on these results to reconsider how sensorimotor cortex evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Halley
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Mary K L Baldwin
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Dylan F Cooke
- Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Englund
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Leah Krubitzer
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, CA 95618, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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8
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Averna A, Pasquale V, Murphy MD, Rogantin MP, Van Acker GM, Nudo RJ, Chiappalone M, Guggenmos DJ. Differential Effects of Open- and Closed-Loop Intracortical Microstimulation on Firing Patterns of Neurons in Distant Cortical Areas. Cereb Cortex 2019; 30:2879-2896. [PMID: 31832642 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracortical microstimulation can be used successfully to modulate neuronal activity. Activity-dependent stimulation (ADS), in which action potentials recorded extracellularly from a single neuron are used to trigger stimulation at another cortical location (closed-loop), is an effective treatment for behavioral recovery after brain lesion, but the related neurophysiological changes are still not clear. Here, we investigated the ability of ADS and random stimulation (RS) to alter firing patterns of distant cortical locations. We recorded 591 neuronal units from 23 Long-Evan healthy anesthetized rats. Stimulation was delivered to either forelimb or barrel field somatosensory cortex, using either RS or ADS triggered from spikes recorded in the rostral forelimb area (RFA). Both RS and ADS stimulation protocols rapidly altered spike firing within RFA compared with no stimulation. We observed increase in firing rates and change of spike patterns. ADS was more effective than RS in increasing evoked spikes during the stimulation periods, by producing a reliable, progressive increase in stimulus-related activity over time and an increased coupling of the trigger channel with the network. These results are critical for understanding the efficacy of closed-loop electrical microstimulation protocols in altering activity patterns in interconnected brain networks, thus modulating cortical state and functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Averna
- Rehab Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child science (DINOGMI), University of Genova, 16145 Genova, Italy.,Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Valentina Pasquale
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Maxwell D Murphy
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | | | - Gustaf M Van Acker
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Randolph J Nudo
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.,Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | | | - David J Guggenmos
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.,Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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9
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Mohammed H, Hollis ER. Cortical Reorganization of Sensorimotor Systems and the Role of Intracortical Circuits After Spinal Cord Injury. Neurotherapeutics 2018; 15:588-603. [PMID: 29882081 PMCID: PMC6095783 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-018-0638-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The plasticity of sensorimotor systems in mammals underlies the capacity for motor learning as well as the ability to relearn following injury. Spinal cord injury, which both deprives afferent input and interrupts efferent output, results in a disruption of cortical somatotopy. While changes in corticospinal axons proximal to the lesion are proposed to support the reorganization of cortical motor maps after spinal cord injury, intracortical horizontal connections are also likely to be critical substrates for rehabilitation-mediated recovery. Intrinsic connections have been shown to dictate the reorganization of cortical maps that occurs in response to skilled motor learning as well as after peripheral injury. Cortical networks incorporate changes in motor and sensory circuits at subcortical or spinal levels to induce map remodeling in the neocortex. This review focuses on the reorganization of cortical networks observed after injury and posits a role of intracortical circuits in recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham Mohammed
- Burke Neurological Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, USA
| | - Edmund R Hollis
- Burke Neurological Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, USA.
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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10
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The role of forelimb motor cortex areas in goal directed action in mice. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15759. [PMID: 29150620 PMCID: PMC5693936 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15835-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian motor cortex consists of several interconnected subregions thought to play distinct roles in voluntary movements, yet their specific role in decision making and execution is not completely elucidated. Here we used transient optogenetic inactivation of the caudal forelimb area (CFA) and rostral forelimb area (RFA) in mice as they performed a directional joystick task. Based on a vibrotactile cue applied to their forepaw, mice were trained to push or pull a joystick after a delay period. We found that choice and execution are temporally segregated processes. CFA and RFA were both essential during the stimulus delivery for correct choice and during the answer period for motor execution. Fine, distal motor deficits were restricted to CFA inactivation. Surprisingly, during the delay period neither area alone, but only combined inactivation was able to affect choice. Our findings suggest transient and partially distributed neural processing of choice and execution across different subregions of the motor cortex.
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