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Morgenstern NA, Esposito MS. The Basal Ganglia and Mesencephalic Locomotor Region Connectivity Matrix. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1454-1472. [PMID: 37559244 PMCID: PMC11097982 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230809112840] [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: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Although classically considered a relay station for basal ganglia (BG) output, the anatomy, connectivity, and function of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) were redefined during the last two decades. In striking opposition to what was initially thought, MLR and BG are actually reciprocally and intimately interconnected. New viral-based, optogenetic, and mapping technologies revealed that cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons coexist in this structure, which, in addition to extending descending projections, send long-range ascending fibers to the BG. These MLR projections to the BG convey motor and non-motor information to specific synaptic targets throughout different nuclei. Moreover, MLR efferent fibers originate from precise neuronal subpopulations located in particular MLR subregions, defining independent anatomo-functional subcircuits involved in particular aspects of animal behavior such as fast locomotion, explorative locomotion, posture, forelimb- related movements, speed, reinforcement, among others. In this review, we revised the literature produced during the last decade linking MLR and BG. We conclude that the classic framework considering the MLR as a homogeneous output structure passively receiving input from the BG needs to be revisited. We propose instead that the multiple subcircuits embedded in this region should be taken as independent entities that convey relevant and specific ascending information to the BG and, thus, actively participate in the execution and tuning of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás A. Morgenstern
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Instituto De Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria S. Esposito
- Department of Medical Physics, Centro Atomico Bariloche, CNEA, CONICET, Av. Bustillo 9500, San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina
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2
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Alves PN, Forkel SJ, Corbetta M, Thiebaut de Schotten M. The subcortical and neurochemical organization of the ventral and dorsal attention networks. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1343. [PMID: 36477440 PMCID: PMC9729227 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04281-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention is a core cognitive function that filters and selects behaviourally relevant information in the environment. The cortical mapping of attentional systems identified two segregated networks that mediate stimulus-driven and goal-driven processes, the Ventral and the Dorsal Attention Networks (VAN, DAN). Deep brain electrophysiological recordings, behavioral data from phylogenetic distant species, and observations from human brain pathologies challenge purely corticocentric models. Here, we used advanced methods of functional alignment applied to resting-state functional connectivity analyses to map the subcortical architecture of the Ventral and Dorsal Attention Networks. Our investigations revealed the involvement of the pulvinar, the superior colliculi, the head of caudate nuclei, and a cluster of brainstem nuclei relevant to both networks. These nuclei are densely connected structural network hubs, as revealed by diffusion-weighted imaging tractography. Their projections establish interrelations with the acetylcholine nicotinic receptor as well as dopamine and serotonin transporters, as demonstrated in a spatial correlation analysis with a normative atlas of neurotransmitter systems. This convergence of functional, structural, and neurochemical evidence provides a comprehensive framework to understand the neural basis of attention across different species and brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Nascimento Alves
- grid.9983.b0000 0001 2181 4263Laboratório de Estudos de Linguagem, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal ,grid.411265.50000 0001 2295 9747Serviço de Neurologia, Departmento de Neurociências e Saúde Mental, Hospital de Santa Maria, CHULN, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Stephanie J. Forkel
- grid.462844.80000 0001 2308 1657Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory, Sorbonne University, Paris, France ,grid.5590.90000000122931605Donders Institute for Brain Cognition Behaviour, Radboud University, Thomas van Aquinostraat 4, 6525GD Nijmegen, the Netherlands ,grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK ,grid.6936.a0000000123222966Departments of Neurosurgery, Technical University of Munich School of Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | - Maurizio Corbetta
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Clinica Neurologica, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Padova, Italy ,grid.428736.cVenetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, VIMM, Padova, Italy ,grid.4367.60000 0001 2355 7002Department of Neurology, Radiology, Neuroscience Washington University School of Medicine, St.Louis, MO USA
| | - Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- grid.462844.80000 0001 2308 1657Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory, Sorbonne University, Paris, France ,grid.412041.20000 0001 2106 639XGroupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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3
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Le Ray D, Bertrand SS, Dubuc R. Cholinergic Modulation of Locomotor Circuits in Vertebrates. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810738. [PMID: 36142651 PMCID: PMC9501616 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotion is a basic motor act essential for survival. Amongst other things, it allows animals to move in their environment to seek food, escape predators, or seek mates for reproduction. The neural mechanisms involved in the control of locomotion have been examined in many vertebrate species and a clearer picture is progressively emerging. The basic muscle synergies responsible for propulsion are generated by neural networks located in the spinal cord. In turn, descending supraspinal inputs are responsible for starting, maintaining, and stopping locomotion as well as for steering and controlling speed. Several neurotransmitter systems play a crucial role in modulating the neural activity during locomotion. For instance, cholinergic inputs act both at the spinal and supraspinal levels and the underlying mechanisms are the focus of the present review. Much information gained on supraspinal cholinergic modulation of locomotion was obtained from the lamprey model. Nicotinic cholinergic inputs increase the level of excitation of brainstem descending command neurons, the reticulospinal neurons (RSNs), whereas muscarinic inputs activate a select group of hindbrain neurons that project to the RSNs to boost their level of excitation. Muscarinic inputs also reduce the transmission of sensory inputs in the brainstem, a phenomenon that could help in sustaining goal directed locomotion. In the spinal cord, intrinsic cholinergic inputs strongly modulate the activity of interneurons and motoneurons to control the locomotor output. Altogether, the present review underlines the importance of the cholinergic inputs in the modulation of locomotor activity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Le Ray
- Institut des Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
- Correspondence: (D.L.R.); (R.D.)
| | - Sandrine S. Bertrand
- Institut des Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Réjean Dubuc
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Physical Activity Sciences and Research Group in Adapted Physical Activity, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Correspondence: (D.L.R.); (R.D.)
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4
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Masini D, Kiehn O. Targeted activation of midbrain neurons restores locomotor function in mouse models of parkinsonism. Nat Commun 2022; 13:504. [PMID: 35082287 PMCID: PMC8791953 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28075-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a locomotor command area containing glutamatergic neurons that control locomotor initiation and maintenance. These motor actions are deficient in Parkinson’s disease (PD), where dopaminergic neurodegeneration alters basal ganglia activity. Being downstream of the basal ganglia, the PPN may be a suitable target for ameliorating parkinsonian motor symptoms. Here, we use in vivo cell-type specific PPN activation to restore motor function in two mouse models of parkinsonism made by acute pharmacological blockage of dopamine transmission. With a combination of chemo- and opto-genetics, we show that excitation of caudal glutamatergic PPN neurons can normalize the otherwise severe locomotor deficit in PD, whereas targeting the local GABAergic population only leads to recovery of slow locomotion. The motor rescue driven by glutamatergic PPN activation is independent of activity in nearby locomotor promoting glutamatergic Cuneiform neurons. Our observations point to caudal glutamatergic PPN neurons as a potential target for neuromodulatory restoration of locomotor function in PD. Here, the authors use cell-type specific stimulation of brainstem neurons within the caudal pedunculopontine nucleus to show that activation of excitatory neurons can normalize severe locomotor deficit in mouse models of parkinsonism. The study defines a potential target for neuromodulatory restoration of locomotor function in Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Masini
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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5
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Huerta-Ocampo I, Dautan D, Gut NK, Khan B, Mena-Segovia J. Whole-brain mapping of monosynaptic inputs to midbrain cholinergic neurons. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9055. [PMID: 33907215 PMCID: PMC8079369 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88374-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The cholinergic midbrain is involved in a wide range of motor and cognitive processes. Cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine (PPN) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) send long-ranging axonal projections that target sensorimotor and limbic areas in the thalamus, the dopaminergic midbrain and the striatal complex following a topographical gradient, where they influence a range of functions including attention, reinforcement learning and action-selection. Nevertheless, a comprehensive examination of the afferents to PPN and LDT cholinergic neurons is still lacking, partly due to the neurochemical heterogeneity of this region. Here we characterize the whole-brain input connectome to cholinergic neurons across distinct functional domains (i.e. PPN vs LDT) using conditional transsynaptic retrograde labeling in ChAT::Cre male and female rats. We reveal that input neurons are widely distributed throughout the brain but segregated into specific functional domains. Motor related areas innervate preferentially the PPN, whereas limbic related areas preferentially innervate the LDT. The quantification of input neurons revealed that both PPN and LDT receive similar substantial inputs from the superior colliculus and the output of the basal ganglia (i.e. substantia nigra pars reticulata). Notably, we found that PPN cholinergic neurons receive preferential inputs from basal ganglia structures, whereas LDT cholinergic neurons receive preferential inputs from limbic cortical areas. Our results provide the first characterization of inputs to PPN and LDT cholinergic neurons and highlight critical differences in the connectome among brain cholinergic systems thus supporting their differential roles in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Daniel Dautan
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Nadine K Gut
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Bakhtawer Khan
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Juan Mena-Segovia
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
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6
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Chambers NE, Lanza K, Bishop C. Pedunculopontine Nucleus Degeneration Contributes to Both Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Front Pharmacol 2020; 10:1494. [PMID: 32009944 PMCID: PMC6974690 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by hypokinetic motor features; however, patients also display non-motor symptoms like sleep disorders. The standard treatment for PD is dopamine replacement with L-DOPA; however, symptoms including gait deficits and sleep disorders are unresponsive to L-DOPA. Notably, these symptoms have been linked to aberrant activity in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). Of late, clinical trials involving PPN deep brain stimulation (DBS) have been employed to alleviate gait deficits. Although preclinical evidence implicating PPN cholinergic neurons in gait dysfunction was initially promising, DBS trials fell short of expected outcomes. One reason for the failure of DBS may be that the PPN is a heterogenous nucleus that consists of GABAergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic neurons that project to a diverse array of brain structures. Second, DBS trials may have been unsuccessful because PPN neurons are susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunction, Lewy body pathology, and degeneration in PD. Therefore, pharmaceutical or gene-therapy strategies targeting specific PPN neuronal populations or projections could better alleviate intractable PD symptoms. Unfortunately, how PPN neuronal populations and their respective projections influence PD motor and non-motor symptoms remains enigmatic. Herein, we discuss normal cellular and neuroanatomical features of the PPN, the differential susceptibility of PPN neurons to PD-related insults, and we give an overview of literature suggesting a role for PPN neurons in motor and sleep deficits in PD. Finally, we identify future approaches directed towards the PPN for the treatment of PD motor and sleep symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn Lanza
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Christopher Bishop
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
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7
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Blanco-Lezcano L, Alberti-Amador E, González-Fraguela ME, Zaldívar-Lelo de Larrea G, Pérez-Serrano RM, Jiménez-Luna NA, Serrano-Sánchez T, Francis-Turner L, Camejo-Rodriguez D, Vega-Hurtado Y. Nurr1, Pitx3, and α7 nAChRs mRNA Expression in Nigral Tissue of Rats with Pedunculopontine Neurotoxic Lesion. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 55:medicina55100616. [PMID: 31547185 PMCID: PMC6843810 DOI: 10.3390/medicina55100616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The knowledge that the cholinergic neurons from pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) are vulnerable to the degeneration in early stages of the Parkinson disease progression has opened new perspectives to the development of experimental model focused in pontine lesions that could increase the risk of nigral degeneration. In this context it is known that PPN lesioned rats exhibit early changes in the gene expression of proteins responsible for dopaminergic homeostasis. At the same time, it is known that nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) mediate the excitatory influence of pontine-nigral projection. However, the effect of PPN injury on the expression of transcription factors that modulate dopaminergic neurotransmission in the adult brain as well as the α7 nAChRs gene expression has not been studied. The main objective of the present work was the study of the effects of the unilateral neurotoxic lesion of PPN in nuclear receptor-related factor 1 (Nurr1), paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 3 (Pitx3), and α7 nAChRs mRNA expression in nigral tissue. Materials and Methods: The molecular biology studies were performed by means of RT-PCR. The following experimental groups were organized: Non-treated rats, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-lesioned rats, and Sham operated rats. Experimental subjects were sacrificed 24 h, 48 h and seven days after PPN lesion. Results: Nurr1 mRNA expression, showed a significant increase both 24 h (p < 0.001) and 48 h (p < 0.01) after PPN injury. Pitx3 mRNA expression evidenced a significant increase 24 h (p < 0.001) followed by a significant decrease 48 h and seven days after PPN lesion (p < 0.01). Finally, the α7 nAChRs nigral mRNA expression remained significantly diminished 24 h, 48 h (p < 0.001), and 7 days (p < 0.01) after PPN neurotoxic injury. Conclusion: Taking together these modifications could represent early warning signals and could be the preamble to nigral neurodegeneration events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette Blanco-Lezcano
- International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Playa, Havana 10300, Cuba; (E.A.-A.); (M.E.G.-F.); (T.S.-S.); (D.C.-R.); (Y.V.-H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +53-7-271-6385 (ext. 219)
| | - Esteban Alberti-Amador
- International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Playa, Havana 10300, Cuba; (E.A.-A.); (M.E.G.-F.); (T.S.-S.); (D.C.-R.); (Y.V.-H.)
| | - María Elena González-Fraguela
- International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Playa, Havana 10300, Cuba; (E.A.-A.); (M.E.G.-F.); (T.S.-S.); (D.C.-R.); (Y.V.-H.)
| | | | - Rosa Martha Pérez-Serrano
- Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Querétaro 76176, Mexico; (G.Z.-L.d.L.); (R.M.P.-S.); (N.A.J.-L.)
| | - Nadia Angélica Jiménez-Luna
- Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Querétaro 76176, Mexico; (G.Z.-L.d.L.); (R.M.P.-S.); (N.A.J.-L.)
| | - Teresa Serrano-Sánchez
- International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Playa, Havana 10300, Cuba; (E.A.-A.); (M.E.G.-F.); (T.S.-S.); (D.C.-R.); (Y.V.-H.)
| | - Liliana Francis-Turner
- Experimental Group: “Experimental Models for Zoo-Human Sciences”, Faculty of Sciences, Tolima University, Ibagué 730001, Colombia;
| | - Dianet Camejo-Rodriguez
- International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Playa, Havana 10300, Cuba; (E.A.-A.); (M.E.G.-F.); (T.S.-S.); (D.C.-R.); (Y.V.-H.)
| | - Yamilé Vega-Hurtado
- International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Playa, Havana 10300, Cuba; (E.A.-A.); (M.E.G.-F.); (T.S.-S.); (D.C.-R.); (Y.V.-H.)
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Gut NK, Mena-Segovia J. Dichotomy between motor and cognitive functions of midbrain cholinergic neurons. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 128:59-66. [PMID: 30213733 PMCID: PMC7176324 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) are interconnected with all the basal ganglia structures, as well as with motor centers in the brainstem and medulla. Recent theories put into question whether PPN cholinergic neurons form part of a locomotor region that directly regulates the motor output, and rather suggest a modulatory role in adaptive behavior involving both motor and cognitive functions. In support of this, experimental studies in animals suggest that cholinergic neurons reinforce actions by signaling reward prediction and shape adaptations in behavior during changes of environmental contingencies. This is further supported by clinical studies proposing that decreased cholinergic transmission originated in the PPN is associated with impaired sensorimotor integration and perseverant behavior, giving rise to some of the symptoms observed in Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. Altogether, the evidence suggests that cholinergic neurons of the PPN, mainly through their interactions with the basal ganglia, have a leading role in action control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine K Gut
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Juan Mena-Segovia
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
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9
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Srivastava A, Ahmad OF, Pacia CP, Hallett M, Lungu C. The Relationship between Saccades and Locomotion. J Mov Disord 2018; 11:93-106. [PMID: 30086615 PMCID: PMC6182301 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.18018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human locomotion involves a complex interplay among multiple brain regions and depends on constant feedback from the visual system. We summarize here the current understanding of the relationship among fixations, saccades, and gait as observed in studies sampling eye movements during locomotion, through a review of the literature and a synthesis of the relevant knowledge on the topic. A significant overlap in locomotor and saccadic neural circuitry exists that may support this relationship. Several animal studies have identified potential integration nodes between these overlapping circuitries. Behavioral studies that explored the relationship of saccadic and gait-related impairments in normal conditions and in various disease states are also discussed. Eye movements and locomotion share many underlying neural circuits, and further studies can leverage this interplay for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anshul Srivastava
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Omar F Ahmad
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher Pham Pacia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mark Hallett
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Codrin Lungu
- Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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10
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Luquin E, Huerta I, Aymerich MS, Mengual E. Stereological Estimates of Glutamatergic, GABAergic, and Cholinergic Neurons in the Pedunculopontine and Laterodorsal Tegmental Nuclei in the Rat. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:34. [PMID: 29867374 PMCID: PMC5958217 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) are functionally associated brainstem structures implicated in behavioral state control and sensorimotor integration. The PPN is also involved in gait and posture, while the LDT plays a role in reward. Both nuclei comprise characteristic cholinergic neurons intermingled with glutamatergic and GABAergic cells whose absolute numbers in the rat have been only partly established. Here we sought to determine the complete phenotypical profile of each nucleus to investigate potential differences between them. Counts were obtained using stereological methods after the simultaneous visualization of cholinergic and either glutamatergic or GABAergic cells. The two isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GAD65 and GAD67, were separately analyzed. Dual in situ hybridization revealed coexpression of GAD65 and GAD67 mRNAs in ∼90% of GAD-positive cells in both nuclei; thus, the estimated mean numbers of (1) cholinergic, (2) glutamatergic, and (3) GABAergic cells in PPN and LDT, respectively, were (1) 3,360 and 3,650; (2) 5,910 and 5,190; and (3) 4,439 and 7,599. These data reveal significant differences between PPN and LDT in their relative phenotypical composition, which may underlie some of the functional differences observed between them. The estimation of glutamatergic cells was significantly higher in the caudal PPN, supporting the reported functional rostrocaudal segregation in this nucleus. Finally, a small subset of cholinergic neurons (8% in PPN and 5% in LDT) also expressed the glutamatergic marker Vglut2, providing anatomical evidence for a potential corelease of transmitters at specific target areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Luquin
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ibone Huerta
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María S Aymerich
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Science, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elisa Mengual
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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11
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Blanco-Lezcano L, Alberti-Amador E, Díaz-Hung ML, González-Fraguela ME, Estupiñán-Díaz B, Serrano-Sánchez T, Francis-Turner L, Jiménez-Martín J, Vega-Hurtado Y, Fernández-Jiménez I. Tyrosine Hydroxylase, Vesicular Monoamine Transporter and Dopamine Transporter mRNA Expression in Nigrostriatal Tissue of Rats with Pedunculopontine Neurotoxic Lesion. Behav Sci (Basel) 2018; 8:bs8020020. [PMID: 29389881 PMCID: PMC5836003 DOI: 10.3390/bs8020020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The degeneration of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) precedes the degeneration of the nigral cells in the pre-symptomatic stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the literature recognizes that a lesion of the PPN increases the vulnerability of dopaminergic cells, it is unknown if this risk is associated with the loss of capability of handling the dopaminergic function. METHODS In this paper, the effects of a unilateral neurotoxic lesion of the PPN in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and dopamine transporter (DAT) mRNA expression in nigrostriatal tissue were evaluated. Three experimental groups were organized: non-treated rats, NMDA-lesioned rats and Sham-operated rats. RESULTS Seven days after the PPN lesion, in nigral tissue, TH mRNA expression was higher in comparison with control groups (p < 0.05); in contrast, VMAT2 mRNA expression showed a significant decrease (p < 0.01). DAT mRNA expression showed a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the striatal tissue. Comparing nigral neuronal density of injured and control rats revealed no significant difference seven days post-PPN injury. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that the PPN lesion modifies the mRNA expression of the proteins associated with dopaminergic homeostasis at nigrostriatal level. It could represent vulnerability signals for nigral dopaminergic cells and further increase the risk of degeneration of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette Blanco-Lezcano
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
- Latinoamerican School of Medicine, Km 3½ Carretera Panamericana, Santa Fé. Playa, Havana 19148, Cuba.
| | - Esteban Alberti-Amador
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
| | - Mei-Li Díaz-Hung
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
- Latinoamerican School of Medicine, Km 3½ Carretera Panamericana, Santa Fé. Playa, Havana 19148, Cuba.
| | - María Elena González-Fraguela
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
- Latinoamerican School of Medicine, Km 3½ Carretera Panamericana, Santa Fé. Playa, Havana 19148, Cuba.
| | - Bárbara Estupiñán-Díaz
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
- Latinoamerican School of Medicine, Km 3½ Carretera Panamericana, Santa Fé. Playa, Havana 19148, Cuba.
| | - Teresa Serrano-Sánchez
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
- Latinoamerican School of Medicine, Km 3½ Carretera Panamericana, Santa Fé. Playa, Havana 19148, Cuba.
| | - Liliana Francis-Turner
- Experimental Group: "Experimental Models for Zoo-Human Sciences", Faculty of Sciences, Tolima University, 42nd Street, Barrio Santa Elena, Parte Alta, CP 730001, Colombia.
| | - Javier Jiménez-Martín
- Department of Physiology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand.
| | - Yamilé Vega-Hurtado
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
| | - Isabel Fernández-Jiménez
- Experimental Neurophysiology Department, International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN) Ave. 25 No. 15805 e/158 and 160, Playa, Havana 11300, Cuba.
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12
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Roseberry TK, Lee AM, Lalive AL, Wilbrecht L, Bonci A, Kreitzer AC. Cell-Type-Specific Control of Brainstem Locomotor Circuits by Basal Ganglia. Cell 2016; 164:526-37. [PMID: 26824660 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 250] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The basal ganglia (BG) are critical for adaptive motor control, but the circuit principles underlying their pathway-specific modulation of target regions are not well understood. Here, we dissect the mechanisms underlying BG direct and indirect pathway-mediated control of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR), a brainstem target of BG that is critical for locomotion. We optogenetically dissect the locomotor function of the three neurochemically distinct cell types within the MLR: glutamatergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic neurons. We find that the glutamatergic subpopulation encodes locomotor state and speed, is necessary and sufficient for locomotion, and is selectively innervated by BG. We further show activation and suppression, respectively, of MLR glutamatergic neurons by direct and indirect pathways, which is required for bidirectional control of locomotion by BG circuits. These findings provide a fundamental understanding of how BG can initiate or suppress a motor program through cell-type-specific regulation of neurons linked to specific actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K Roseberry
- The Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - A Moses Lee
- The Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Linda Wilbrecht
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Antonello Bonci
- Intramural Research Program, Synaptic Plasticity Section, National Institute for Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Anatol C Kreitzer
- The Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Departments of Physiology and Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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13
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Schmitt O, Eipert P, Kettlitz R, Leßmann F, Wree A. The connectome of the basal ganglia. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 221:753-814. [PMID: 25432770 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0936-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The basal ganglia of the laboratory rat consist of a few core regions that are specifically interconnected by efferents and afferents of the central nervous system. In nearly 800 reports of tract-tracing investigations the connectivity of the basal ganglia is documented. The readout of connectivity data and the collation of all the connections of these reports in a database allows to generate a connectome. The collation, curation and analysis of such a huge amount of connectivity data is a great challenge and has not been performed before (Bohland et al. PloS One 4:e7200, 2009) in large connectomics projects based on meta-analysis of tract-tracing studies. Here, the basal ganglia connectome of the rat has been generated and analyzed using the consistent cross-platform and generic framework neuroVIISAS. Several advances of this connectome meta-study have been made: the collation of laterality data, the network-analysis of connectivity strengths and the assignment of regions to a hierarchically organized terminology. The basal ganglia connectome offers differences in contralateral connectivity of motoric regions in contrast to other regions. A modularity analysis of the weighted and directed connectome produced a specific grouping of regions. This result indicates a correlation of structural and functional subsystems. As a new finding, significant reciprocal connections of specific network motifs in this connectome were detected. All three principal basal ganglia pathways (direct, indirect, hyperdirect) could be determined in the connectome. By identifying these pathways it was found that there exist many further equivalent pathways possessing the same length and mean connectivity weight as the principal pathways. Based on the connectome data it is unknown why an excitation pattern may prefer principal rather than other equivalent pathways. In addition to these new findings the local graph-theoretical features of regions of the connectome have been determined. By performing graph theoretical analyses it turns out that beside the caudate putamen further regions like the mesencephalic reticular formation, amygdaloid complex and ventral tegmental area are important nodes in the basal ganglia connectome. The connectome data of this meta-study of tract-tracing reports of the basal ganglia are available for further network studies, the integration into neocortical connectomes and further extensive investigations of the basal ganglia dynamics in population simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Schmitt
- Department of Anatomy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Peter Eipert
- Department of Anatomy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | | | - Felix Leßmann
- Department of Anatomy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andreas Wree
- Department of Anatomy, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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14
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Dautan D, Huerta-Ocampo I, Witten IB, Deisseroth K, Bolam JP, Gerdjikov T, Mena-Segovia J. A major external source of cholinergic innervation of the striatum and nucleus accumbens originates in the brainstem. J Neurosci 2014; 34:4509-18. [PMID: 24671996 PMCID: PMC3965779 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5071-13.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 242] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic transmission in the striatal complex is critical for the modulation of the activity of local microcircuits and dopamine release. Release of acetylcholine has been considered to originate exclusively from a subtype of striatal interneuron that provides widespread innervation of the striatum. Cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine (PPN) and laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) nuclei indirectly influence the activity of the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens through their innervation of dopamine and thalamic neurons, which in turn converge at the same striatal levels. Here we show that cholinergic neurons in the brainstem also provide a direct innervation of the striatal complex. By the expression of fluorescent proteins in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)::Cre(+) transgenic rats, we selectively labeled cholinergic neurons in the rostral PPN, caudal PPN, and LDT. We show that cholinergic neurons topographically innervate wide areas of the striatal complex: rostral PPN preferentially innervates the dorsolateral striatum, and LDT preferentially innervates the medial striatum and nucleus accumbens core in which they principally form asymmetric synapses. Retrograde labeling combined with immunohistochemistry in wild-type rats confirmed the topography and cholinergic nature of the projection. Furthermore, transynaptic gene activation and conventional double retrograde labeling suggest that LDT neurons that innervate the nucleus accumbens also send collaterals to the thalamus and the dopaminergic midbrain, thus providing both direct and indirect projections, to the striatal complex. The differential activity of cholinergic interneurons and cholinergic neurons of the brainstem during reward-related paradigms suggest that the two systems play different but complementary roles in the processing of information in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Dautan
- Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TH, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom
| | - Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo
- Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TH, United Kingdom
| | - Ilana B. Witten
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton New Jersey 08540, and
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
| | - J. Paul Bolam
- Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TH, United Kingdom
| | - Todor Gerdjikov
- School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Mena-Segovia
- Medical Research Council Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TH, United Kingdom
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15
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Valencia M, Chavez M, Artieda J, Bolam JP, Mena-Segovia J. Abnormal functional connectivity between motor cortex and pedunculopontine nucleus following chronic dopamine depletion. J Neurophysiol 2013; 111:434-40. [PMID: 24174651 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00555.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity of the basal ganglia is altered in Parkinson's disease (PD) as a consequence of the degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. This results in aberrant discharge patterns and expression of exaggerated oscillatory activity across the basal ganglia circuit. Altered activity has also been reported in some of the targets of the basal ganglia, including the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), possibly due to its close interconnectivity with most regions of the basal ganglia. However, the nature of the involvement of the PPN in the pathophysiology of PD has not been fully elucidated. Here, we recorded local field potentials in the motor cortex and the PPN in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rat model of PD under urethane anesthesia. By means of linear and nonlinear statistics, we analyzed the synchrony between the motor cortex and the PPN and the delay in the interaction between these two structures. We observed the presence of coherent activity between the cortex and the PPN in low (5-15 Hz)- and high (25-35 Hz)-frequency bands during episodes of cortical activation. In each case, the cortex led the PPN. Dopamine depletion strengthened the interaction of the low-frequency activities by increasing the coherence specifically in the theta and alpha ranges and reduced the delay of the interaction in the gamma band. Our data show that cortical inputs play a determinant role in leading the coherent activity with the PPN and support the involvement of the PPN in the pathophysiology of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Valencia
- Neurophysiology Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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