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Economo MN, Komiyama T, Kubota Y, Schiller J. Learning and Control in Motor Cortex across Cell Types and Scales. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1233242024. [PMID: 39358022 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1233-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The motor cortex is essential for controlling the flexible movements underlying complex behaviors. Behavioral flexibility involves the ability to integrate and refine new movements, thereby expanding an animal's repertoire. This review discusses recent strides in motor learning mechanisms across spatial and temporal scales, describing how neural networks are remodeled at the level of synapses, cell types, and circuits and across time as animals' learn new skills. It highlights how changes at each scale contribute to the evolving structure and function of neural circuits that accompanies the expansion and refinement of motor skills. We review new findings highlighted by advanced imaging techniques that have opened new vistas in optical physiology and neuroanatomy, revealing the complexity and adaptability of motor cortical circuits, crucial for learning and control. At the structural level, we explore the dynamic regulation of dendritic spines mediating corticocortical and thalamocortical inputs to the motor cortex. We delve into the role of perisynaptic astrocyte processes in maintaining synaptic stability during learning. We also examine the functional diversity among pyramidal neuron subtypes, their dendritic computations and unique contributions to single cell and network function. Further, we highlight how cortical activation is characterized by increased consistency and reduced strength as new movements are learned and how external inputs contribute to these changes. Finally, we consider the motor cortex's necessity as movements unfold over long time scales. These insights will continue to drive new research directions, enhancing our understanding of motor cortical circuit transformations that underpin behavioral changes expressed throughout an animal's life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N Economo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Takaki Komiyama
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
- Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 920937
| | - Yoshiyuki Kubota
- Section of Electron Microscopy, Supportive Center for Brain Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
- Support Unit for Electron Microscopy Techniques, Research Resources Division, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0198, Japan
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke 329-0498, Japan
| | - Jackie Schiller
- Department of Physiology, Technion Medical School, Haifa 31096, Israel
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2
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Sun H, Cai R, Li R, Li M, Gao L, Li X. Conjunctive processing of spatial border and locomotion in retrosplenial cortex during spatial navigation. J Physiol 2024. [PMID: 39216077 DOI: 10.1113/jp286434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Spatial information and dynamic locomotor behaviours are equally important for achieving locomotor goals during spatial navigation. However, it remains unclear how spatial and locomotor information is integrated during the processing of self-initiated spatial navigation. Anatomically, the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) has reciprocal connections with brain regions related to spatial processing, including the hippocampus and para-hippocampus, and also receives inputs from the secondary motor cortex. In addition, RSC is functionally associated with allocentric and egocentric spatial targets and head-turning. So, RSC may be a critical region for integrating spatial and locomotor information. In this study, we first examined the role of RSC in spatial navigation using the Morris water maze and found that mice with inactivated RSC took a longer time and distance to reach their destination. Then, by imaging neuronal activity in freely behaving mice within two open fields of different sizes, we identified a large proportion of border cells, head-turning cells and locomotor speed cells in the superficial layer of RSC. Interestingly, some RSC neurons exhibited conjunctive coding for both spatial and locomotor signals. Furthermore, these conjunctive neurons showed higher prediction accuracy compared with simple spatial or locomotor neurons in special navigator scenes using the border, turning and positive-speed conjunctive cells. Our study reveals that the RSC is an important conjunctive brain region that processes spatial and locomotor information during spatial navigation. KEY POINTS: Retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is indispensable during spatial navigation, which was displayed by the longer time and distance of mice to reach their destination after the inactivation of RSC in a water maze. The superficial layer of RSC has a larger population of spatial-related border cells, and locomotion-related head orientation and speed cells; however, it has few place cells in two-dimensional spatial arenas. Some RSC neurons exhibited conjunctive coding for both spatial and locomotor signals, and the conjunctive neurons showed higher prediction accuracy compared with simple spatial or locomotor neurons in special navigation scenes. Our study reveals that the RSC is an important conjunctive brain region that processes both spatial and locomotor information during spatial navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Sun
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruolan Cai
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Lixia Gao
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinjian Li
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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3
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Roth RH, Ding JB. Cortico-basal ganglia plasticity in motor learning. Neuron 2024; 112:2486-2502. [PMID: 39002543 PMCID: PMC11309896 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.014] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
One key function of the brain is to control our body's movements, allowing us to interact with the world around us. Yet, many motor behaviors are not innate but require learning through repeated practice. Among the brain's motor regions, the cortico-basal ganglia circuit is particularly crucial for acquiring and executing motor skills, and neuronal activity in these regions is directly linked to movement parameters. Cell-type-specific adaptations of activity patterns and synaptic connectivity support the learning of new motor skills. Functionally, neuronal activity sequences become structured and associated with learned movements. On the synaptic level, specific connections become potentiated during learning through mechanisms such as long-term synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine dynamics, which are thought to mediate functional circuit plasticity. These synaptic and circuit adaptations within the cortico-basal ganglia circuitry are thus critical for motor skill acquisition, and disruptions in this plasticity can contribute to movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard H Roth
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
| | - Jun B Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; The Phil & Penny Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Kim T, Hooks BM. Developmental changes in mouse motor skill learning and cortical circuitry. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.19.604309. [PMID: 39071410 PMCID: PMC11275902 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.19.604309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Learning motor skills requires plasticity in the primary motor cortex (M1), including changes in inhibitory circuitry. But how inhibitory synaptic connections change during skill acquisition and whether this varies over development is not fully understood. This study assesses the normal developmental trajectory of motor learning and then addresses inhibitory connectivity changes after motor learning. We trained mice of both sexes to run on a custom accelerating rotarod at ages from postnatal day (P) 20 to P120, tracking paw position and quantifying time to fall and changes in gait pattern. Performance improved most rapidly between P30-60, while paw position and gait patterns change with learning, though differently between age groups. To address circuit changes, we labeled task-active and task-inactive pyramidal cells with CaMPARI2, a genetically encoded activity marker. We then evoked inhibitory responses (IPSCs) from two major interneuron types: parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons and somatostatin-expressing (SOM+) interneurons. After one training day, PV-mediated inhibition is greater in task-active cells, while SOM-mediated inhibition is not different. These results suggest early changes in PV-mediated inhibition may support motor skill acquisition in mice. Whether PV-mediated inhibitory changes persist or changes in SOM+ interneuron connections arise later in training remains to be tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehyeon Kim
- Center for Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh (CNUP) and Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Bryan M. Hooks
- Center for Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh (CNUP) and Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
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5
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Brague JC, Sinha GP, Henry DA, Headrick DJ, Hamdan Z, Hooks BM, Seal RP. Dopamine-mediated plasticity preserves excitatory connections to direct pathway striatal projection neurons and motor function in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.596192. [PMID: 38854096 PMCID: PMC11160626 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.596192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) such as bradykinesia and akinesia are debilitating, and treatment options remain inadequate. The loss of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons in PD produces motor symptoms by shifting the balance of striatal output from the direct (go) to indirect (no-go) pathway in large part through changes in the excitatory connections and intrinsic excitabilities of the striatal projection neurons (SPNs). Here, we report using two different experimental models that a transient increase in striatal dopamine and enhanced D1 receptor activation, during 6-OHDA dopamine depletion, prevent the loss of mature spines and dendritic arbors on direct pathway projection neurons (dSPNs) and normal motor behavior for up to 5 months. The primary motor cortex and midline thalamic nuclei provide the major excitatory connections to SPNs. Using ChR2-assisted circuit mapping to measure inputs from motor cortex M1 to dorsolateral dSPNs, we observed a dramatic reduction in both experimental model mice and controls following dopamine depletion. Changes in the intrinsic excitabilities of SPNs were also similar to controls following dopamine depletion. Future work will examine thalamic connections to dSPNs. The findings reported here reveal previously unappreciated plasticity mechanisms within the basal ganglia that can be leveraged to treat the motor symptoms of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David A. Henry
- Department of Neurobiology and Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | - Daniel J. Headrick
- Department of Neurobiology and Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | - Zane Hamdan
- Department of Neurobiology and Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
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Marino F, Moreno-López Y, Hollis E. Corticospinal Modulation of Precision Movements. Neurosci Insights 2024; 19:26331055241249497. [PMID: 38680210 PMCID: PMC11056087 DOI: 10.1177/26331055241249497] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently we demonstrated a critical role for temporal coding of corticospinal activity in a prehension movement requiring precise forelimb control. Learning of precision isometric pull drives large-scale remodeling of corticospinal motor networks. Optogenetic modulation of corticospinal activity and full transection of the corticospinal tract disrupted critical functions of the network in expert animals resulting in impaired modulation of precise movements. In contrast, we observed more widespread corticospinal co-activation and limited temporal coding on a similar, yet more simplistic prehension task, adaptive isometric pull. Disrupting corticospinal neuron activity had much more limited effects on adaptive isometric pull, which was found to be corticospinal independent by transection of the corticospinal tract. Here we discuss these results in context of known roles for corticospinal and corticostriatal neurons in motor control, as well as some of the questions our study raised.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Edmund Hollis
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, NY, USA
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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7
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Carmona LM, Thomas ED, Smith K, Tasic B, Costa RM, Nelson A. Topographical and cell type-specific connectivity of rostral and caudal forelimb corticospinal neuron populations. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113993. [PMID: 38551963 PMCID: PMC11100358 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113993] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Corticospinal neurons (CSNs) synapse directly on spinal neurons, a diverse assortment of cells with unique structural and functional properties necessary for body movements. CSNs modulating forelimb behavior fractionate into caudal forelimb area (CFA) and rostral forelimb area (RFA) motor cortical populations. Despite their prominence, the full diversity of spinal neurons targeted by CFA and RFA CSNs is uncharted. Here, we use anatomical and RNA sequencing methods to show that CSNs synapse onto a remarkably selective group of spinal cell types, favoring inhibitory populations that regulate motoneuron activity and gate sensory feedback. CFA and RFA CSNs target similar spinal neuron types, with notable exceptions that suggest that these populations differ in how they influence behavior. Finally, axon collaterals of CFA and RFA CSNs target similar brain regions yet receive highly divergent inputs. These results detail the rules of CSN connectivity throughout the brain and spinal cord for two regions critical for forelimb behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Marcela Carmona
- Department of Neuroscience, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric D Thomas
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Allen Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kimberly Smith
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Allen Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bosiljka Tasic
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Allen Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rui M Costa
- Department of Neuroscience, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Allen Institute for Brain Science, Allen Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anders Nelson
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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Cieslak PE, Drabik S, Gugula A, Trenk A, Gorkowska M, Przybylska K, Szumiec L, Kreiner G, Rodriguez Parkitna J, Blasiak A. Dopamine Receptor-Expressing Neurons Are Differently Distributed throughout Layers of the Motor Cortex to Control Dexterity. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0490-23.2023. [PMID: 38423792 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0490-23.2023] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The motor cortex comprises the primary descending circuits for flexible control of voluntary movements and is critically involved in motor skill learning. Motor skill learning is impaired in patients with Parkinson's disease, but the precise mechanisms of motor control and skill learning are still not well understood. Here we have used transgenic mice, electrophysiology, in situ hybridization, and neural tract-tracing methods to target genetically defined cell types expressing D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in the motor cortex. We observed that putative D1 and D2 dopamine receptor-expressing neurons (D1+ and D2+, respectively) are organized in highly segregated, nonoverlapping populations. Moreover, based on ex vivo patch-clamp recordings, we showed that D1+ and D2+ cells have distinct morphological and electrophysiological properties. Finally, we observed that chemogenetic inhibition of D2+, but not D1+, neurons disrupts skilled forelimb reaching in adult mice. Overall, these results demonstrate that dopamine receptor-expressing cells in the motor cortex are highly segregated and play a specialized role in manual dexterity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw E Cieslak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Sylwia Drabik
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Anna Gugula
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Trenk
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Martyna Gorkowska
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Kinga Przybylska
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Lukasz Szumiec
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-343, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Kreiner
- Department of Brain Biochemistry, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-343, Poland
| | - Jan Rodriguez Parkitna
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-343, Poland
| | - Anna Blasiak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
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9
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Carmona LM, Thomas ET, Smith K, Tasic B, Costa RM, Nelson A. Topographical and cell type-specific connectivity of rostral and caudal forelimb corticospinal neuron populations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.17.567623. [PMID: 38014164 PMCID: PMC10680840 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.17.567623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Corticospinal neurons (CSNs) synapse directly on spinal neurons, a diverse group of neurons with unique structural and functional properties necessary for body movements. CSNs modulating forelimb behavior fractionate into caudal forelimb area (CFA) and rostral forelimb area (RFA) motor cortical populations. Despite their prominence, no studies have mapped the diversity of spinal cell types targeted by CSNs, let alone compare CFA and RFA populations. Here we use anatomical and RNA-sequencing methods to show that CSNs synapse onto a remarkably selective group of spinal cell types, favoring inhibitory populations that regulate motoneuron activity and gate sensory feedback. CFA and RFA CSNs target similar spinal cell types, with notable exceptions that suggest these populations differ in how they influence behavior. Finally, axon collaterals of CFA and RFA CSNs target similar brain regions yet receive surprisingly divergent inputs. These results detail the rules of CSN connectivity throughout the brain and spinal cord for two regions critical for forelimb behavior.
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Li Y, An X, Qian Y, Xu XH, Zhao S, Mohan H, Bachschmid-Romano L, Brunel N, Whishaw IQ, Huang ZJ. Cortical network and projection neuron types that articulate serial order in a skilled motor behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.25.563871. [PMID: 37961483 PMCID: PMC10634836 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.25.563871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Skilled motor behaviors require orderly coordination of multiple constituent movements with sensory cues towards achieving a goal, but the underlying brain circuit mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show that target-guided reach-grasp-to-drink (RGD) in mice involves the ordering and coordination of a set of forelimb and oral actions. Cortex-wide activity imaging of multiple glutamatergic projection neuron (PN) types uncovered a network, involving the secondary motor cortex (MOs), forelimb primary motor and somatosensory cortex, that tracked RGD movements. Photo-inhibition highlighted MOs in coordinating RGD movements. Within the MOs, population neural trajectories tracked RGD progression and single neuron activities integrated across constituent movements. Notably, MOs intratelencephalic, pyramidal tract, and corticothalamic PN activities correlated with action coordination, showed distinct neural dynamics trajectories, and differentially contributed to movement coordination. Our results delineate a cortical network and key areas, PN types, and neural dynamics therein that articulate the serial order and coordination of a skilled behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 1 1724, USA
| | - Xu An
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 1 1724, USA
| | - Yongjun Qian
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 1 1724, USA
| | - X. Hermione Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Shengli Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Hemanth Mohan
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 1 1724, USA
| | | | - Nicolas Brunel
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ian Q. Whishaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Research, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, TIK 3M4, Canada
| | - Z. Josh Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 1 1724, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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11
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Shinotsuka T, Tanaka YR, Terada SI, Hatano N, Matsuzaki M. Layer 5 Intratelencephalic Neurons in the Motor Cortex Stably Encode Skilled Movement. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7130-7148. [PMID: 37699714 PMCID: PMC10601372 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0428-23.2023] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary motor cortex (M1) and the dorsal striatum play a critical role in motor learning and the retention of learned behaviors. Motor representations of corticostriatal ensembles emerge during motor learning. In the coordinated reorganization of M1 and the dorsal striatum for motor learning, layer 5a (L5a) which connects M1 to the ipsilateral and contralateral dorsal striatum, should be a key layer. Although M1 L5a neurons represent movement-related activity in the late stage of learning, it is unclear whether the activity is retained as a memory engram. Here, using Tlx3-Cre male transgenic mice, we conducted two-photon calcium imaging of striatum-projecting L5a intratelencephalic (IT) neurons in forelimb M1 during late sessions of a self-initiated lever-pull task and in sessions after 6 d of nontraining following the late sessions. We found that trained male animals exhibited stable motor performance before and after the nontraining days. At the same time, we found that M1 L5a IT neurons strongly represented the well-learned forelimb movement but not uninstructed orofacial movements. A subset of M1 L5a IT neurons consistently coded the well-learned forelimb movement before and after the nontraining days. Inactivation of M1 IT neurons after learning impaired task performance when the lever was made heavier or when the target range of the pull distance was narrowed. These results suggest that a subset of M1 L5a IT neurons continuously represent skilled movement after learning and serve to fine-tune the kinematics of well-learned movement.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Motor memory persists even when it is not used for a while. IT neurons in L5a of the M1 gradually come to represent skilled forelimb movements during motor learning. However, it remains to be determined whether these changes persist over a long period and how these neurons contribute to skilled movements. Here, we show that a subset of M1 L5a IT neurons retain information for skilled forelimb movements even after nontraining days. Furthermore, suppressing the activity of these neurons during skilled forelimb movements impaired behavioral stability and adaptability. Our results suggest the importance of M1 L5a IT neurons for tuning skilled forelimb movements over a long period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Shinotsuka
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro R Tanaka
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Terada
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Natsuki Hatano
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masanori Matsuzaki
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Brain Functional Dynamics Collaboration Laboratory, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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12
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Transition of distinct context-dependent ensembles from secondary to primary motor cortex in skilled motor performance. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111494. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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