Climbing fibers mediate vestibular modulation of both "complex" and "simple spikes" in Purkinje cells

Cerebro-Cerebellar Networks in Migraine Symptoms and Headache

The cerebellum is associated with the biology of migraine in a variety of ways. Clinically, symptoms such as fatigue, motor weakness, vertigo, dizziness, difficulty concentrating and finding words, nausea, and visual disturbances are common in different types of migraine. The neural basis of these symptoms is complex, not completely known, and likely involve activation of both specific and shared circuits throughout the brain. Posterior circulation stroke, or neurosurgical removal of posterior fossa tumors, as well as anatomical tract tracing in animals, provided the first insights to theorize about cerebellar functions. Nowadays, with the addition of functional imaging, much progress has been done on cerebellar structure and function in health and disease, and, as a consequence, the theories refined. Accordingly, the cerebellum may be useful but not necessary for the execution of motor, sensory or cognitive tasks, but, rather, would participate as an efficiency facilitator of neurologic functions by improving speed and skill in performance of tasks produced by the cerebral area to which it is reciprocally connected. At the subcortical level, critical regions in these processes are the basal ganglia and thalamic nuclei. Altogether, a modulatory role of the cerebellum over multiple brain regions appears compelling, mainly by considering the complexity of its reciprocal connections to common neural networks involved in motor, vestibular, cognitive, affective, sensory, and autonomic processing—all functions affected at different phases and degrees across the migraine spectrum. Despite the many associations between cerebellum and migraine, it is not known whether this structure contributes to migraine initiation, symptoms generation or headache. Specific cerebellar dysfunction via genetically driven excitatory/inhibitory imbalances, oligemia and/or increased risk to white matter lesions has been proposed as a critical contributor to migraine pathogenesis. Therefore, given that neural projections and functions of many brainstem, midbrain and forebrain areas are shared between the cerebellum and migraine trigeminovascular pathways, this review will provide a synopsis on cerebellar structure and function, its role in trigeminal pain, and an updated overview of relevant clinical and preclinical literature on the potential role of cerebellar networks in migraine pathophysiology.

Effects of posture on cerebellar evoked potentials (CEPs) following brief impulsive stimuli at the mastoid and trunk

Recordings from over the posterior fossa following impulsive acceleration stimuli have shown short latency evoked potentials of presumed cerebellar origin. In this study, we investigated the effect of posture on these cerebellar evoked potentials (CEPs) and their relationship to postural reflexes recorded from the leg muscles evoked by the same stimuli. Nine healthy subjects were tested during lying (supine and prone), sitting and standing. Impulsive accelerations were applied at the mastoid and to truncal (both C7 and sternal) stimulation sites. The effect of vision, eyes open or closed, was investigated for all three stimuli. For the truncal stimuli, the effect of differing leaning conditions during standing was also recorded. CEP amplitudes were correlated for the three stimuli. For C7 stimulation during standing, both CEPs and postural reflexes scaled as the threat to postural stability increased. However, CEPs for all stimuli were present during lying, sitting and standing with amplitude and latency parameters mainly unaffected by posture or vision. In contrast, postural reflexes from the leg muscles were attenuated when not standing, with the effect being more marked for truncal stimuli. We conclude that CEPs evoked by axial and vestibular stimuli are not systematically gated by posture, in contrast to the reflex responses evoked by the same stimuli.

Repeated inhalation of sevoflurane inhibits the information transmission of Purkinje cells and delays motor development via the GABAA receptor ε subunit in neonatal mice

General anesthesia is widely used in pediatric surgery, although the influence of general anesthesia on cerebellar information transmission and motor function is unclear. In the present study, neonatal mice received repeated inhalation of sevoflurane, and electrophysiological alterations in Purkinje cells (PCs) and the development of motor functions were detected. In addition, γ-aminobutyric acid_A receptor ε (GABA_A-R ε) subunit knockout mice were used to investigate the mechanism of action of sevoflurane on cerebellar function. In the neonatal mice, the field potential response of PCs induced by sensory stimulation and the motor function indices were markedly inhibited by sevoflurane, and the inhibitory effect was positively associated with the number of repetitions of anesthesia. In additional the GABA_A-R ε subunit level of PCs was promoted by sevoflurane in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effects of sevoflurane on PC field potential response and motor function were alleviated in GABA_A-R ε subunit knockout mice. The GABA_A-R ε subunit was activated by sevoflurane, leading to inhibition of sensory information transmission in the cerebellar cortex, field potential responses of PCs and the development of cerebellar motor function. The present study provided experimental evidence for the safe usage of sevoflurane in clinical anesthesia, and suggested that GABA_A-R ε subunit antagonists may be considered for combined application with general anesthesia with repeated inhalation of sevoflurane, for adverse effect prevention in the clinic.