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Kratsios P, Zampieri N, Carrillo R, Mizumoto K, Sweeney LB, Philippidou P. Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Motor Circuit Development. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1238242024. [PMID: 39358025 PMCID: PMC11450535 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1238-24.2024] [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: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Motor circuits represent the main output of the central nervous system and produce dynamic behaviors ranging from relatively simple rhythmic activities like swimming in fish and breathing in mammals to highly sophisticated dexterous movements in humans. Despite decades of research, the development and function of motor circuits remain poorly understood. Breakthroughs in the field recently provided new tools and tractable model systems that set the stage to discover the molecular mechanisms and circuit logic underlying motor control. Here, we describe recent advances from both vertebrate (mouse, frog) and invertebrate (nematode, fruit fly) systems on cellular and molecular mechanisms that enable motor circuits to develop and function and highlight conserved and divergent mechanisms necessary for motor circuit development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paschalis Kratsios
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Niccolò Zampieri
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin 13125, Germany
| | - Robert Carrillo
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Kota Mizumoto
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lora B Sweeney
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Polyxeni Philippidou
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
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2
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Zhu Q, Han F, Yu Y, Wang F, Wang Q, Shakeel A. A spinal circuit model with asymmetric cervical-lumbar layout controls backward locomotion and scratching in quadrupeds. Neural Netw 2024; 178:106422. [PMID: 38901095 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2024.106422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Locomotion and scratching are basic motor functions which are critically important for animal survival. Although the spinal circuits governing forward locomotion have been extensively investigated, the organization of spinal circuits and neural mechanisms regulating backward locomotion and scratching remain unclear. Here, we extend a model by Danner et al. to propose a spinal circuit model with asymmetrical cervical-lumbar layout to investigate these issues. In the model, the left-right alternation within the cervical and lumbar circuits is mediated by V 0D and V 0V commissural interneurons (CINs), respectively. With different control strategies, the model closely reproduces multiple experimental data of quadrupeds in different motor behaviors. Specifically, under the supraspinal drive, walk and trot are expressed in control condition, half-bound is expressed after deletion of V 0V CINs, and bound is expressed after deletion of V0 (V 0D and V 0V) CINs; in addition, unilateral hindlimb scratching occurs in control condition and synchronous bilateral hindlimb scratching appears after deletion of V 0V CINs. Under the combined drive of afferent feedback and perineal stimulation, different coordination patterns between hindlimbs during BBS (backward-biped-spinal) locomotion are generated. The results suggest that (1) the cervical and lumbar circuits in the spinal network are asymmetrically recruited during particular rhythmic limb movements. (2) Multiple motor behaviors share a single spinal network under the reconfiguration of the spinal network by supraspinal inputs or somatosensory feedback. Our model provides new insights into the organization of motor circuits and neural control of rhythmic limb movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghua Zhu
- College of Information Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Fang Han
- College of Information Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Dynamics and Control, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Fengjie Wang
- College of Information Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Qingyun Wang
- Department of Dynamics and Control, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Awais Shakeel
- College of Information Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
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3
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Wu Y, Lu L, Qing T, Shi S, Fang G. Transient Increases in Neural Oscillations and Motor Deficits in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9545. [PMID: 39273491 PMCID: PMC11394686 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179545] [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: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms like tremors and bradykinesia. PD's pathology involves the aggregation of α-synuclein and loss of dopaminergic neurons, leading to altered neural oscillations in the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic network. Despite extensive research, the relationship between the motor symptoms of PD and transient changes in brain oscillations before and after motor tasks in different brain regions remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate neural oscillations in both healthy and PD model mice using local field potential (LFP) recordings from multiple brain regions during rest and locomotion. The histological evaluation confirmed the significant dopaminergic neuron loss in the injection side in 6-OHDA lesioned mice. Behavioral tests showed motor deficits in these mice, including impaired coordination and increased forelimb asymmetry. The LFP analysis revealed increased delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma band activity in 6-OHDA lesioned mice during movement, with significant increases in multiple brain regions, including the primary motor cortex (M1), caudate-putamen (CPu), subthalamic nucleus (STN), substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), and pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). Taken together, these results show that the motor symptoms of PD are accompanied by significant transient increases in brain oscillations, especially in the gamma band. This study provides potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation by elucidating the relationship between specific neural oscillations and motor deficits in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Lidi Lu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Tao Qing
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Suxin Shi
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Guangzhan Fang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
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4
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Molkov YI, Yu G, Ausborn J, Bouvier J, Danner SM, Rybak IA. Sensory feedback and central neuronal interactions in mouse locomotion. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240207. [PMID: 39169962 PMCID: PMC11335407 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex process involving specific interactions between the central neural controller and the mechanical components of the system. The basic rhythmic activity generated by locomotor circuits in the spinal cord defines rhythmic limb movements and their central coordination. The operation of these circuits is modulated by sensory feedback from the limbs providing information about the state of the limbs and the body. However, the specific role and contribution of central interactions and sensory feedback in the control of locomotor gait and posture remain poorly understood. We use biomechanical data on quadrupedal locomotion in mice and recent findings on the organization of neural interactions within the spinal locomotor circuitry to create and analyse a tractable mathematical model of mouse locomotion. The model includes a simplified mechanical model of the mouse body with four limbs and a central controller composed of four rhythm generators, each operating as a state machine controlling the state of one limb. Feedback signals characterize the load and extension of each limb as well as postural stability (balance). We systematically investigate and compare several model versions and compare their behaviour to existing experimental data on mouse locomotion. Our results highlight the specific roles of sensory feedback and some central propriospinal interactions between circuits controlling fore and hind limbs for speed-dependent gait expression. Our models suggest that postural imbalance feedback may be critically involved in the control of swing-to-stance transitions in each limb and the stabilization of walking direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaroslav I. Molkov
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303, USA
| | - Guoning Yu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303, USA
| | - Jessica Ausborn
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA19129, USA
| | - Julien Bouvier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Saclay91400, France
| | - Simon M. Danner
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA19129, USA
| | - Ilya A. Rybak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA19129, USA
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5
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Young PA, Waller O, Ball K, Williams CC, Nashmi R. Phasic Stimulation of Dopaminergic Neurons of the Lateral Substantia Nigra Increases Open Field Exploratory Behaviour and Reduces Habituation Over Time. Neuroscience 2024; 551:276-289. [PMID: 38838978 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Transient nigrostriatal dopaminergic signalling is well known for its role in reinforcement learning and increasingly so for its role in the initiation of voluntary movement. However, how transient bursts of dopamine modulate voluntary movement remains unclear, likely due to the heterogeneity of the nigrostriatal system, the focus of optogenetic studies on locomotion at sub-sec time intervals, and the overlapping roles of phasic dopamine in behaviour and novelty signalling. In this study we investigated how phasic activity in the lateral substantia nigra pars compacta (lateral SNc) over time affects voluntary behaviours during exploration. Using a transgenic mouse model of both sexes expressing channelrhodopsin (ChR2) in dopamine transporter-expressing cells, we stimulated the lateral SNc while mice explored an open field over two consecutive days. We found that phasic activation of the lateral SNc induced an increase in exploratory behaviours including horizontal movement activity, locomotion initiation, and rearing specifically on the first open field exposure, but not on the second day. In addition, stimulated animals did not habituate to the same extent as their ChR2-negative counterparts, as indicated by a lack of decrease in baseline activity. These findings suggest that rather than prompting voluntary movement in general, phasic nigrostriatal dopamine prompts context-appropriate behaviours. In addition, dopamine signalling that modulates movement acts over longer timescales than the transient signal, affecting behaviour even after the signal has ended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope A Young
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada; Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Olivia Waller
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Katherine Ball
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Chad C Williams
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Raad Nashmi
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada; Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada.
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6
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Zhang Z, Su J, Tang J, Chung L, Page JC, Winter CC, Liu Y, Kegeles E, Conti S, Zhang Y, Biundo J, Chalif JI, Hua CY, Yang Z, Yao X, Yang Y, Chen S, Schwab JM, Wang KH, Chen C, Prerau MJ, He Z. Spinal projecting neurons in rostral ventromedial medulla co-regulate motor and sympathetic tone. Cell 2024; 187:3427-3444.e21. [PMID: 38733990 PMCID: PMC11193620 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.022] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Many behaviors require the coordinated actions of somatic and autonomic functions. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. By opto-stimulating different populations of descending spinal projecting neurons (SPNs) in anesthetized mice, we show that stimulation of excitatory SPNs in the rostral ventromedial medulla (rVMM) resulted in a simultaneous increase in somatomotor and sympathetic activities. Conversely, opto-stimulation of rVMM inhibitory SPNs decreased both activities. Anatomically, these SPNs innervate both sympathetic preganglionic neurons and motor-related regions in the spinal cord. Fiber-photometry recording indicated that the activities of rVMM SPNs correlate with different levels of muscle and sympathetic tone during distinct arousal states. Inhibiting rVMM excitatory SPNs reduced basal muscle and sympathetic tone, impairing locomotion initiation and high-speed performance. In contrast, silencing the inhibitory population abolished muscle atonia and sympathetic hypoactivity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Together, these results identify rVMM SPNs as descending spinal projecting pathways controlling the tone of both the somatomotor and sympathetic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicong Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junfeng Su
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jing Tang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leeyup Chung
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica C Page
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carla C Winter
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuchu Liu
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Evgenii Kegeles
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara Conti
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason Biundo
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua I Chalif
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles Y Hua
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xue Yao
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shuqiang Chen
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jan M Schwab
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Prerau
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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7
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Lavaud S, Bichara C, D'Andola M, Yeh SH, Takeoka A. Two inhibitory neuronal classes govern acquisition and recall of spinal sensorimotor adaptation. Science 2024; 384:194-201. [PMID: 38603479 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf6801] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Spinal circuits are central to movement adaptation, yet the mechanisms within the spinal cord responsible for acquiring and retaining behavior upon experience remain unclear. Using a simple conditioning paradigm, we found that dorsal inhibitory neurons are indispensable for adapting protective limb-withdrawal behavior by regulating the transmission of a specific set of somatosensory information to enhance the saliency of conditioning cues associated with limb position. By contrast, maintaining previously acquired motor adaptation required the ventral inhibitory Renshaw cells. Manipulating Renshaw cells does not affect the adaptation itself but flexibly alters the expression of adaptive behavior. These findings identify a circuit basis involving two distinct populations of spinal inhibitory neurons, which enables lasting sensorimotor adaptation independently from the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Lavaud
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Bichara
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mattia D'Andola
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shu-Hao Yeh
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aya Takeoka
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- IMEC, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Laboratory for Motor Circuit Plasticity, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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8
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Calderone A, Cardile D, De Luca R, Quartarone A, Corallo F, Calabrò RS. Brain Plasticity in Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2224. [PMID: 38396902 PMCID: PMC10888628 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042224] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
A spinal cord injury (SCI) causes changes in brain structure and brain function due to the direct effects of nerve damage, secondary mechanisms, and long-term effects of the injury, such as paralysis and neuropathic pain (NP). Recovery takes place over weeks to months, which is a time frame well beyond the duration of spinal shock and is the phase in which the spinal cord remains unstimulated below the level of injury and is associated with adaptations occurring throughout the nervous system, often referred to as neuronal plasticity. Such changes occur at different anatomical sites and also at different physiological and molecular biological levels. This review aims to investigate brain plasticity in patients with SCIs and its influence on the rehabilitation process. Studies were identified from an online search of the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Studies published between 2013 and 2023 were selected. This review has been registered on OSF under (n) 9QP45. We found that neuroplasticity can affect the sensory-motor network, and different protocols or rehabilitation interventions can activate this process in different ways. Exercise rehabilitation training in humans with SCIs can elicit white matter plasticity in the form of increased myelin water content. This review has demonstrated that SCI patients may experience plastic changes either spontaneously or as a result of specific neurorehabilitation training, which may lead to positive outcomes in functional recovery. Clinical and experimental evidence convincingly displays that plasticity occurs in the adult CNS through a variety of events following traumatic or non-traumatic SCI. Furthermore, efficacy-based, pharmacological, and genetic approaches, alone or in combination, are increasingly effective in promoting plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Calderone
- Graduate School of Health Psychology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy;
| | - Davide Cardile
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosaria De Luca
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Angelo Quartarone
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Corallo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
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9
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Deska-Gauthier D, Borowska-Fielding J, Jones C, Zhang H, MacKay CS, Michail R, Bennett LA, Bikoff JB, Zhang Y. Embryonic temporal-spatial delineation of excitatory spinal V3 interneuron diversity. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113635. [PMID: 38160393 PMCID: PMC10877927 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113635] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal neural circuits that execute movement are composed of cardinal classes of neurons that emerged from distinct progenitor lineages. Each cardinal class contains multiple neuronal subtypes characterized by distinct molecular, anatomical, and physiological characteristics. Through a focus on the excitatory V3 interneuron class, here we demonstrate that interneuron subtype diversity is delineated through a combination of neurogenesis timing and final laminar settling position. We have revealed that early-born and late-born embryonic V3 temporal classes further diversify into subclasses with spatially and molecularly discrete identities. While neurogenesis timing accounts for V3 morphological diversification, laminar settling position accounts for electrophysiological profiles distinguishing V3 subtypes within the same temporal classes. Furthermore, V3 interneuron subtypes display independent behavioral recruitment patterns demonstrating a functional modularity underlying V3 interneuron diversity. These studies provide a framework for how early embryonic temporal and spatial mechanisms combine to delineate spinal interneuron classes into molecularly, anatomically, and functionally relevant subtypes in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Deska-Gauthier
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Joanna Borowska-Fielding
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Chris Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Colin S MacKay
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Ramez Michail
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Laura A Bennett
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jay B Bikoff
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
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10
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Shepard CT, Brown BL, Van Rijswijck MA, Zalla RM, Burke DA, Morehouse JR, Riegler AS, Whittemore SR, Magnuson DSK. Silencing long-descending inter-enlargement propriospinal neurons improves hindlimb stepping after contusive spinal cord injuries. eLife 2023; 12:e82944. [PMID: 38099572 PMCID: PMC10776087 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82944] [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: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal locomotor circuitry is comprised of rhythm generating centers, one for each limb, that are interconnected by local and long-distance propriospinal neurons thought to carry temporal information necessary for interlimb coordination and gait control. We showed previously that conditional silencing of the long ascending propriospinal neurons (LAPNs) that project from the lumbar to the cervical rhythmogenic centers (L1/L2 to C6), disrupts right-left alternation of both the forelimbs and hindlimbs without significantly disrupting other fundamental aspects of interlimb and speed-dependent coordination (Pocratsky et al., 2020). Subsequently, we showed that silencing the LAPNs after a moderate thoracic contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) resulted in better recovered locomotor function (Shepard et al., 2021). In this research advance, we focus on the descending equivalent to the LAPNs, the long descending propriospinal neurons (LDPNs) that have cell bodies at C6 and terminals at L2. We found that conditional silencing of the LDPNs in the intact adult rat resulted in a disrupted alternation of each limb pair (forelimbs and hindlimbs) and after a thoracic contusion SCI significantly improved locomotor function. These observations lead us to speculate that the LAPNs and LDPNs have similar roles in the exchange of temporal information between the cervical and lumbar rhythm generating centers, but that the partial disruption of the pathway after SCI limits the independent function of the lumbar circuitry. Silencing the LAPNs or LDPNs effectively permits or frees-up the lumbar circuitry to function independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney T Shepard
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Brandon L Brown
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Morgan A Van Rijswijck
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Speed School of Engineering, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Rachel M Zalla
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Speed School of Engineering, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Darlene A Burke
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Johnny R Morehouse
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Amberly S Riegler
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - Scott R Whittemore
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
| | - David SK Magnuson
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Speed School of Engineering, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleUnited States
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11
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Molkov YI, Yu G, Ausborn J, Bouvier J, Danner SM, Rybak IA. Sensory Feedback and Central Neuronal Interactions in Mouse Locomotion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.31.564886. [PMID: 37961258 PMCID: PMC10634960 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.31.564886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex process involving specific interactions between the central neural controller and the mechanical components of the system. The basic rhythmic activity generated by locomotor circuits in the spinal cord defines rhythmic limb movements and their central coordination. The operation of these circuits is modulated by sensory feedback from the limbs providing information about the state of the limbs and the body. However, the specific role and contribution of central interactions and sensory feedback in the control of locomotor gait and posture remain poorly understood. We use biomechanical data on quadrupedal locomotion in mice and recent findings on the organization of neural interactions within the spinal locomotor circuitry to create and analyze a tractable mathematical model of mouse locomotion. The model includes a simplified mechanical model of the mouse body with four limbs and a central controller composed of four rhythm generators, each operating as a state machine controlling the state of one limb. Feedback signals characterize the load and extension of each limb as well as postural stability (balance). We systematically investigate and compare several model versions and compare their behavior to existing experimental data on mouse locomotion. Our results highlight the specific roles of sensory feedback and some central propriospinal interactions between circuits controlling fore and hind limbs for speed-dependent gait expression. Our models suggest that postural imbalance feedback may be critically involved in the control of swing-to-stance transitions in each limb and the stabilization of walking direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaroslav I. Molkov
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Guoning Yu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Jessica Ausborn
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Julien Bouvier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400, Saclay, France
| | - Simon M. Danner
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Ilya A. Rybak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
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12
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Kuehn N, Schwarz A, Beretta CA, Schwarte Y, Schmitt F, Motsch M, Weidner N, Puttagunta R. Intermediate gray matter interneurons in the lumbar spinal cord play a critical and necessary role in coordinated locomotion. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291740. [PMID: 37906544 PMCID: PMC10617729 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex task involving excitatory and inhibitory circuitry in spinal gray matter. While genetic knockouts examine the function of individual spinal interneuron (SpIN) subtypes, the phenotype of combined SpIN loss remains to be explored. We modified a kainic acid lesion to damage intermediate gray matter (laminae V-VIII) in the lumbar spinal enlargement (spinal L2-L4) in female rats. A thorough, tailored behavioral evaluation revealed deficits in gross hindlimb function, skilled walking, coordination, balance and gait two weeks post-injury. Using a Random Forest algorithm, we combined these behavioral assessments into a highly predictive binary classification system that strongly correlated with structural deficits in the rostro-caudal axis. Machine-learning quantification confirmed interneuronal damage to laminae V-VIII in spinal L2-L4 correlates with hindlimb dysfunction. White matter alterations and lower motoneuron loss were not observed with this KA lesion. Animals did not regain lost sensorimotor function three months after injury, indicating that natural recovery mechanisms of the spinal cord cannot compensate for loss of laminae V-VIII neurons. As gray matter damage accounts for neurological/walking dysfunction in instances of spinal cord injury affecting the cervical or lumbar enlargement, this research lays the groundwork for new neuroregenerative therapies to replace these lost neuronal pools vital to sensorimotor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naëmi Kuehn
- Laboratory for Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schwarz
- Laboratory for Experimental Neurorehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carlo Antonio Beretta
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yvonne Schwarte
- Laboratory for Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Francesca Schmitt
- Laboratory for Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Melanie Motsch
- Laboratory for Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Norbert Weidner
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Radhika Puttagunta
- Laboratory for Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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13
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Roome RB, Levine AJ. The organization of spinal neurons: Insights from single cell sequencing. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 82:102762. [PMID: 37657185 PMCID: PMC10727478 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
To understand how the spinal cord enacts complex sensorimotor functions, researchers have studied, classified, and functionally probed it's many neuronal populations for over a century. Recent developments in single-cell RNA-sequencing can characterize the gene expression signatures of the entire set of spinal neuron types and can simultaneously provide an unbiased view of their relationships to each other. This approach has revealed that the location of neurons predicts transcriptomic variability, as dorsal spinal neurons become highly distinct over development as ventral spinal neurons become less so. Temporal specification is also a major source of gene expression variation, subdividing many of the canonical embryonic lineage domains. Together, birthdate and cell body location are fundamental organizing features of spinal neuron diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Brian Roome
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA. https://twitter.com/BrianRoome
| | - Ariel J Levine
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
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14
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Danner SM, Shepard CT, Hainline C, Shevtsova NA, Rybak IA, Magnuson DSK. Spinal control of locomotion before and after spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol 2023; 368:114496. [PMID: 37499972 PMCID: PMC10529867 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114496] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Thoracic spinal cord injury affects long propriospinal neurons that interconnect the cervical and lumbar enlargements. These neurons are crucial for coordinating forelimb and hindlimb locomotor movements in a speed-dependent manner. However, recovery from spinal cord injury is usually studied over a very limited range of speeds that may not fully expose circuitry dysfunction. To overcome this limitation, we investigated overground locomotion in rats trained to move over an extended distance with a wide range of speeds both pre-injury and after recovery from thoracic hemisection or contusion injuries. In this experimental context, intact rats expressed a speed-dependent continuum of alternating (walk and trot) and non-alternating (canter, gallop, half-bound gallop, and bound) gaits. After a lateral hemisection injury, rats recovered the ability to locomote over a wide range of speeds but lost the ability to use the highest-speed gaits (half-bound gallop and bound) and predominantly used the limb contralateral to the injury as lead during canter and gallop. A moderate contusion injury caused a greater reduction in maximal speed, loss of all non-alternating gaits, and emergence of novel alternating gaits. These changes resulted from weak fore-hind coupling together with appropriate control of left-right alternation. After hemisection, animals expressed a subset of intact gaits with appropriate interlimb coordination even on the side of the injury, where the long propriospinal connections were severed. These observations highlight how investigating locomotion over the full range of speeds can reveal otherwise hidden aspects of spinal locomotor control and post-injury recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon M Danner
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Courtney T Shepard
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Casey Hainline
- Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Natalia A Shevtsova
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ilya A Rybak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David S K Magnuson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, KY, USA
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15
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Dougherty KJ. Distinguishing subtypes of spinal locomotor neurons to inform circuit function and dysfunction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 82:102763. [PMID: 37611531 PMCID: PMC10578609 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102763] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex motor task executed by spinal neurons. Given the diversity of spinal cord neurons, linking neuronal cell type to function is a challenge. Molecular identification of broad spinal interneuronal classes provided a great advance. Recent studies have used other classifiers, including location, electrophysiological properties, and connectivity, in addition to gene profiling, to narrow the acuity with which groups of neurons can be related to specific functions. However, there are also functional populations without a clear identifier, as exemplified by rhythm generating neurons. Other considerations, including experience or plasticity, add a layer of complexity to the definition of functional subpopulations of spinal neurons, but spinal cord injury may provide insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly J Dougherty
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
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16
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Squair JW, Milano M, de Coucy A, Gautier M, Skinnider MA, James ND, Cho N, Lasne A, Kathe C, Hutson TH, Ceto S, Baud L, Galan K, Aureli V, Laskaratos A, Barraud Q, Deming TJ, Kohman RE, Schneider BL, He Z, Bloch J, Sofroniew MV, Courtine G, Anderson MA. Recovery of walking after paralysis by regenerating characterized neurons to their natural target region. Science 2023; 381:1338-1345. [PMID: 37733871 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi6412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Axon regeneration can be induced across anatomically complete spinal cord injury (SCI), but robust functional restoration has been elusive. Whether restoring neurological functions requires directed regeneration of axons from specific neuronal subpopulations to their natural target regions remains unclear. To address this question, we applied projection-specific and comparative single-nucleus RNA sequencing to identify neuronal subpopulations that restore walking after incomplete SCI. We show that chemoattracting and guiding the transected axons of these neurons to their natural target region led to substantial recovery of walking after complete SCI in mice, whereas regeneration of axons simply across the lesion had no effect. Thus, reestablishing the natural projections of characterized neurons forms an essential part of axon regeneration strategies aimed at restoring lost neurological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan W Squair
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marco Milano
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra de Coucy
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthieu Gautier
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael A Skinnider
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas D James
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Newton Cho
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anna Lasne
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Kathe
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas H Hutson
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Steven Ceto
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laetitia Baud
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Katia Galan
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Viviana Aureli
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Achilleas Laskaratos
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Quentin Barraud
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Timothy J Deming
- Departments of Bioengineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Richie E Kohman
- Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bernard L Schneider
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Bertarelli Platform for Gene Therapy, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jocelyne Bloch
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Gregoire Courtine
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mark A Anderson
- NeuroX Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore), CHUV/UNIL/EPFL, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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17
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Punjani N, Deska-Gauthier D, Hachem LD, Abramian M, Fehlings MG. Neuroplasticity and regeneration after spinal cord injury. NORTH AMERICAN SPINE SOCIETY JOURNAL 2023; 15:100235. [PMID: 37416090 PMCID: PMC10320621 DOI: 10.1016/j.xnsj.2023.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition with significant personal, societal, and economic burden. The highest proportion of traumatic injuries occur at the cervical level, which results in severe sensorimotor and autonomic deficits. Following the initial physical damage associated with traumatic injuries, secondary pro-inflammatory, excitotoxic, and ischemic cascades are initiated further contributing to neuronal and glial cell death. Additionally, emerging evidence has begun to reveal that spinal interneurons undergo subtype specific neuroplastic circuit rearrangements in the weeks to months following SCI, contributing to or hindering functional recovery. The current therapeutic guidelines and standards of care for SCI patients include early surgery, hemodynamic regulation, and rehabilitation. Additionally, preclinical work and ongoing clinical trials have begun exploring neuroregenerative strategies utilizing endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells, stem cell transplantation, combinatorial approaches, and direct cell reprogramming. This review will focus on emerging cellular and noncellular regenerative therapies with an overview of the current available strategies, the role of interneurons in plasticity, and the exciting research avenues enhancing tissue repair following SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayaab Punjani
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Deska-Gauthier
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Laureen D. Hachem
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Madlene Abramian
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G. Fehlings
- Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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18
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Dubuc R, Cabelguen JM, Ryczko D. Locomotor pattern generation and descending control: a historical perspective. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:401-416. [PMID: 37465884 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00204.2023] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to generate and control locomotor movements depends on complex interactions between many areas of the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, and the environment. How the nervous system manages to accomplish this task has been the subject of investigation for more than a century. In vertebrates, locomotion is generated by neural networks located in the spinal cord referred to as central pattern generators. Descending inputs from the brain stem initiate, maintain, and stop locomotion as well as control speed and direction. Sensory inputs adapt locomotor programs to the environmental conditions. This review presents a comparative and historical overview of some of the neural mechanisms underlying the control of locomotion in vertebrates. We have put an emphasis on spinal mechanisms and descending control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Réjean Dubuc
- Groupe de Recherche en Activité Physique Adaptée, Département des Sciences de l'Activité Physique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Marie Cabelguen
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U 1215-Neurocentre Magendie, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Dimitri Ryczko
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Neurosciences Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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19
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Sengupta M, Bagnall MW. Spinal Interneurons: Diversity and Connectivity in Motor Control. Annu Rev Neurosci 2023; 46:79-99. [PMID: 36854318 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-083122-025325] [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] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
The spinal cord is home to the intrinsic networks for locomotion. An animal in which the spinal cord has been fully severed from the brain can still produce rhythmic, patterned locomotor movements as long as some excitatory drive is provided, such as physical, pharmacological, or electrical stimuli. Yet it remains a challenge to define the underlying circuitry that produces these movements because the spinal cord contains a wide variety of neuron classes whose patterns of interconnectivity are still poorly understood. Computational models of locomotion accordingly rely on untested assumptions about spinal neuron network element identity and connectivity. In this review, we consider the classes of spinal neurons, their interconnectivity, and the significance of their circuit connections along the long axis of the spinal cord. We suggest several lines of analysis to move toward a definitive understanding of the spinal network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohini Sengupta
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA;
| | - Martha W Bagnall
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA;
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20
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Danner SM, Shepard CT, Hainline C, Shevtsova NA, Rybak IA, Magnuson DS. Spinal control of locomotion before and after spinal cord injury. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.22.533794. [PMID: 36993490 PMCID: PMC10055332 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.22.533794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Thoracic spinal cord injury affects long propriospinal neurons that interconnect the cervical and lumbar enlargements. These neurons are crucial for coordinating forelimb and hindlimb locomotor movements in a speed-dependent manner. However, recovery from spinal cord injury is usually studied over a very limited range of speeds that may not fully expose circuitry dysfunction. To overcome this limitation, we investigated overground locomotion in rats trained to move over an extended distance with a wide range of speeds both pre-injury and after recovery from thoracic hemisection or contusion injuries. In this experimental context, intact rats expressed a speed-dependent continuum of alternating (walk and trot) and non-alternating (canter, gallop, half-bound gallop, and bound) gaits. After a lateral hemisection injury, rats recovered the ability to locomote over a wide range of speeds but lost the ability to use the highest-speed gaits (half-bound gallop and bound) and predominantly used the limb contralateral to the injury as lead during canter and gallop. A moderate contusion injury caused a greater reduction in maximal speed, loss of all non-alternating gaits, and emergence of novel alternating gaits. These changes resulted from weak fore-hind coupling together with appropriate control of left-right alternation. After hemisection, animals expressed a subset of intact gaits with appropriate interlimb coordination even on the side of the injury, where the long propriospinal connections were severed. These observations highlight how investigating locomotion over the full range of speeds can reveal otherwise hidden aspects of spinal locomotor control and post-injury recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon M. Danner
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Courtney T. Shepard
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Casey Hainline
- Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Natalia A. Shevtsova
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ilya A. Rybak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David S.K. Magnuson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Health Sciences Campus, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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21
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Wilson AC, Sweeney LB. Spinal cords: Symphonies of interneurons across species. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1146449. [PMID: 37180760 PMCID: PMC10169611 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1146449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate movement is orchestrated by spinal inter- and motor neurons that, together with sensory and cognitive input, produce dynamic motor behaviors. These behaviors vary from the simple undulatory swimming of fish and larval aquatic species to the highly coordinated running, reaching and grasping of mice, humans and other mammals. This variation raises the fundamental question of how spinal circuits have changed in register with motor behavior. In simple, undulatory fish, exemplified by the lamprey, two broad classes of interneurons shape motor neuron output: ipsilateral-projecting excitatory neurons, and commissural-projecting inhibitory neurons. An additional class of ipsilateral inhibitory neurons is required to generate escape swim behavior in larval zebrafish and tadpoles. In limbed vertebrates, a more complex spinal neuron composition is observed. In this review, we provide evidence that movement elaboration correlates with an increase and specialization of these three basic interneuron types into molecularly, anatomically, and functionally distinct subpopulations. We summarize recent work linking neuron types to movement-pattern generation across fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lora B. Sweeney
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria, Austria
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22
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Tan S, Faull RLM, Curtis MA. The tracts, cytoarchitecture, and neurochemistry of the spinal cord. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:777-819. [PMID: 36099279 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The human spinal cord can be described using a range of nomenclatures with each providing insight into its structure and function. Here we have comprehensively reviewed the key literature detailing the general structure, configuration of tracts, the cytoarchitecture of Rexed's laminae, and the neurochemistry at the spinal segmental level. The purpose of this review is to detail current anatomical understanding of how the spinal cord is structured and to aid researchers in identifying gaps in the literature that need to be studied to improve our knowledge of the spinal cord which in turn will improve the potential of therapeutic intervention for disorders of the spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheryl Tan
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Maurice A Curtis
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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23
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Hayashi M, Gullo M, Senturk G, Di Costanzo S, Nagasaki SC, Kageyama R, Imayoshi I, Goulding M, Pfaff SL, Gatto G. A spinal synergy of excitatory and inhibitory neurons coordinates ipsilateral body movements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.21.533603. [PMID: 36993220 PMCID: PMC10055247 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.21.533603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Innate and goal-directed movements require a high-degree of trunk and appendicular muscle coordination to preserve body stability while ensuring the correct execution of the motor action. The spinal neural circuits underlying motor execution and postural stability are finely modulated by propriospinal, sensory and descending feedback, yet how distinct spinal neuron populations cooperate to control body stability and limb coordination remains unclear. Here, we identified a spinal microcircuit composed of V2 lineage-derived excitatory (V2a) and inhibitory (V2b) neurons that together coordinate ipsilateral body movements during locomotion. Inactivation of the entire V2 neuron lineage does not impair intralimb coordination but destabilizes body balance and ipsilateral limb coupling, causing mice to adopt a compensatory festinating gait and be unable to execute skilled locomotor tasks. Taken together our data suggest that during locomotion the excitatory V2a and inhibitory V2b neurons act antagonistically to control intralimb coordination, and synergistically to coordinate forelimb and hindlimb movements. Thus, we suggest a new circuit architecture, by which neurons with distinct neurotransmitter identities employ a dual-mode of operation, exerting either synergistic or opposing functions to control different facets of the same motor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marito Hayashi
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Miriam Gullo
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gokhan Senturk
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Stefania Di Costanzo
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shinji C. Nagasaki
- Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ryoichiro Kageyama
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0198, Japan
| | - Itaru Imayoshi
- Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Martyn Goulding
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Samuel L. Pfaff
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Graziana Gatto
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Neurology Department, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, 50937, Germany
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24
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Van Steenbergen V, Burattini L, Trumpp M, Fourneau J, Aljović A, Chahin M, Oh H, D’Ambra M, Bareyre FM. Coordinated neurostimulation promotes circuit rewiring and unlocks recovery after spinal cord injury. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20220615. [PMID: 36571760 PMCID: PMC9794600 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20220615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury depends on the effective rewiring of neuronal circuits. Here, we show that selective chemogenetic activation of either corticospinal projection neurons or intraspinal relay neurons alone led to anatomically restricted plasticity and little functional recovery. In contrast, coordinated stimulation of both supraspinal centers and spinal relay stations resulted in marked and circuit-specific enhancement of neuronal rewiring, shortened EMG latencies, and improved locomotor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Van Steenbergen
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Laura Burattini
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Michelle Trumpp
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Julie Fourneau
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Almir Aljović
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Maryam Chahin
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Hanseul Oh
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Marta D’Ambra
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Florence M. Bareyre
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Center Munich (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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25
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Hofer AS, Scheuber MI, Sartori AM, Good N, Stalder SA, Hammer N, Fricke K, Schalbetter SM, Engmann AK, Weber RZ, Rust R, Schneider MP, Russi N, Favre G, Schwab ME. Stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus enables training and boosts recovery after spinal cord injury. Brain 2022; 145:3681-3697. [PMID: 35583160 PMCID: PMC9586551 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe spinal cord injuries result in permanent paraparesis in spite of the frequent sparing of small portions of white matter. Spared fibre tracts are often incapable of maintaining and modulating the activity of lower spinal motor centres. Effects of rehabilitative training thus remain limited. Here, we activated spared descending brainstem fibres by electrical deep brain stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus of the mesencephalic locomotor region, the main control centre for locomotion in the brainstem, in adult female Lewis rats. We show that deep brain stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus enhances the weak remaining motor drive in highly paraparetic rats with severe, incomplete spinal cord injuries and enables high-intensity locomotor training. Stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus during rehabilitative aquatraining after subchronic (n = 8 stimulated versus n = 7 unstimulated versus n = 7 untrained rats) and chronic (n = 14 stimulated versus n = 9 unstimulated versus n = 9 untrained rats) spinal cord injury re-established substantial locomotion and improved long-term recovery of motor function. We additionally identified a safety window of stimulation parameters ensuring context-specific locomotor control in intact rats (n = 18) and illustrate the importance of timing of treatment initiation after spinal cord injury (n = 14). This study highlights stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus as a highly promising therapeutic strategy to enhance motor recovery after subchronic and chronic incomplete spinal cord injury with direct clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Sophie Hofer
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Myriam I Scheuber
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea M Sartori
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Good
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie A Stalder
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Hammer
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kai Fricke
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sina M Schalbetter
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anne K Engmann
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca Z Weber
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ruslan Rust
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc P Schneider
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Natalie Russi
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giacomin Favre
- Department of Economics, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin E Schwab
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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26
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Krotov V, Agashkov K, Krasniakova M, Safronov BV, Belan P, Voitenko N. Segmental and descending control of primary afferent input to the spinal lamina X. Pain 2022; 163:2014-2020. [PMID: 35297816 PMCID: PMC9339045 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Despite being involved in a number of functions, such as nociception and locomotion, spinal lamina X remains one of the least studied central nervous system regions. Here, we show that Aδ- and C-afferent inputs to lamina X neurons are presynaptically inhibited by homo- and heterosegmental afferents as well as by descending fibers from the corticospinal tract, dorsolateral funiculus, and anterior funiculus. Activation of descending tracts suppresses primary afferent-evoked action potentials and also elicits excitatory (mono- and polysynaptic) and inhibitory postsynaptic responses in lamina X neurons. Thus, primary afferent input to lamina X is subject to both spinal and supraspinal control being regulated by at least 5 distinct pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volodymyr Krotov
- Departments of Sensory Signaling and
- Molecular Biophysics, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | | | - Boris V. Safronov
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Neuronal Networks Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pavel Belan
- Molecular Biophysics, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Kyiv Academic University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Nana Voitenko
- Departments of Sensory Signaling and
- Kyiv Academic University, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Private Institution Dobrobut Academy, Kyiv, Ukraine
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27
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Juvin L, Colnot E, Barrière G, Thoby-Brisson M, Morin D. Neurogenic mechanisms for locomotor-respiratory coordination in mammals. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:953746. [PMID: 35968158 PMCID: PMC9365938 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.953746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Central motor rhythm-generating networks controlling different functions are generally considered to operate mostly independently from one another, each controlling the specific behavioral task to which it is assigned. However, under certain physiological circumstances, central pattern generators (CPGs) can exhibit strong uni- or bidirectional interactions that render them closely inter-dependent. One of the best illustrations of such an inter-CPG interaction is the functional relationship that may occur between rhythmic locomotor and respiratory functions. It is well known that in vertebrates, lung ventilatory rates accelerate at the onset of physical exercise in order to satisfy the accompanying rapid increase in metabolism. Part of this acceleration is sustained by a coupling between locomotion and ventilation, which most often results in a periodic drive of the respiratory cycle by the locomotor rhythm. In terrestrial vertebrates, the likely physiological significance of this coordination is that it serves to reduce the mechanical interference between the two motor systems, thereby producing an energetic benefit and ultimately, enabling sustained aerobic activity. Several decades of studies have shown that locomotor-respiratory coupling is present in most species, independent of the mode of locomotion employed. The present article aims to review and discuss mechanisms engaged in shaping locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC), with an emphasis on the role of sensory feedback inputs, the direct influences between CPG networks themselves, and finally on spinal cellular candidates that are potentially involved in the coupling of these two vital motor functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Juvin
- University of Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - Eloïse Colnot
- University of Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - Grégory Barrière
- University of Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - Muriel Thoby-Brisson
- University of Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - Didier Morin
- University of Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, Bordeaux, France
- Department of Health, Safety & Environment, Bordeaux Institute of Technology, Bordeaux, France
- *Correspondence: Didier Morin
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28
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Stitt IM, Wellings TP, Drury HR, Jobling P, Callister RJ, Brichta AM, Lim R. Properties of Deiters' neurons and inhibitory synaptic transmission in the mouse lateral vestibular nucleus. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:131-147. [PMID: 35730750 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00016.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Deiters' neurons, located exclusively in the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN), are involved in vestibulospinal reflexes, innervate extensor motoneurons that drive anti-gravity muscles, and receive inhibitory inputs from the cerebellum. We investigated intrinsic membrane properties, short-term plasticity, and inhibitory synaptic inputs of mouse Deiters' and non-Deiters' neurons within the LVN. Deiters' neurons are distinguished from non-Deiters' neurons by their very low input resistance (105.8 vs 521.8 MOhms) respectively, long axons that project as far as the ipsilateral lumbar spinal cord, and expression of the cytostructural protein, non-phosphorylated neurofilament protein (NPNFP). Whole-cell patch clamp recordings in brainstem slices show most Deiters' and non-Deiters' neurons were tonically active (>92%). Short-term plasticity was studied by examining discharge rate modulation following release from hyperpolarization (post-inhibitory rebound firing; PRF) and depolarization (firing rate adaptation; FRA). PRF and FRA gain were similar in Deiters' and non-Deiters' neurons (PRF: 24.9 vs. 20.2 Hz and FRA gain: 231.5 vs. 287.8 spikes/sec/nA respectively). Inhibitory synaptic input to both populations showed GABAergic rather than glycinergic inhibition dominated in Deiters' neurons and GABAA miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSC) frequency was much higher in Deiters' neurons compared to non-Deiters' neurons (~15.9 vs. 1.4 Hz respectively). Our data suggest Deiters' neurons can be reliably identified by their intrinsic membrane and synaptic properties. They are tonically active, glutamatergic, have low sensitivity or 'gain', exhibit little adaptation, and receive strong GABAergic input. Together, these features suggest, since Deiters' neurons have minimal short-term plasticity they are well-suited to a role encoding tonic signals for the vestibulospinal reflex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain M Stitt
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas P Wellings
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Hannah Rose Drury
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Phillip Jobling
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert J Callister
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Alan Martin Brichta
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Rebecca Lim
- The School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
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29
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Dynamic simulation of non-programmed gait generation of quadruped robot. ARTIFICIAL LIFE AND ROBOTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10015-022-00765-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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30
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Zhang H, Shevtsova NA, Deska-Gauthier D, Mackay C, Dougherty KJ, Danner SM, Zhang Y, Rybak IA. The role of V3 neurons in speed-dependent interlimb coordination during locomotion in mice. eLife 2022; 11:e73424. [PMID: 35476640 PMCID: PMC9045817 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Speed-dependent interlimb coordination allows animals to maintain stable locomotion under different circumstances. The V3 neurons are known to be involved in interlimb coordination. We previously modeled the locomotor spinal circuitry controlling interlimb coordination (Danner et al., 2017). This model included the local V3 neurons that mediate mutual excitation between left and right rhythm generators (RGs). Here, our focus was on V3 neurons involved in ascending long propriospinal interactions (aLPNs). Using retrograde tracing, we revealed a subpopulation of lumbar V3 aLPNs with contralateral cervical projections. V3OFF mice, in which all V3 neurons were silenced, had a significantly reduced maximal locomotor speed, were unable to move using stable trot, gallop, or bound, and predominantly used a lateral-sequence walk. To reproduce this data and understand the functional roles of V3 aLPNs, we extended our previous model by incorporating diagonal V3 aLPNs mediating inputs from each lumbar RG to the contralateral cervical RG. The extended model reproduces our experimental results and suggests that locally projecting V3 neurons, mediating left-right interactions within lumbar and cervical cords, promote left-right synchronization necessary for gallop and bound, whereas the V3 aLPNs promote synchronization between diagonal fore and hind RGs necessary for trot. The model proposes the organization of spinal circuits available for future experimental testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Brain Repair Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxCanada
| | - Natalia A Shevtsova
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Dylan Deska-Gauthier
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Brain Repair Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxCanada
| | - Colin Mackay
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Brain Repair Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxCanada
| | - Kimberly J Dougherty
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Simon M Danner
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Brain Repair Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxCanada
| | - Ilya A Rybak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
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31
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Parallel locomotor control strategies in mice and flies. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 73:102516. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Long descending commissural V0v neurons ensure coordinated swimming movements along the body axis in larval zebrafish. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4348. [PMID: 35288598 PMCID: PMC8921517 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08283-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental maturation occurs in slow swimming behavior in larval zebrafish; older larvae acquire the ability to perform slow swimming while keeping their head stable in the yaw dimension. A class of long-distance descending commissural excitatory V0v neurons, called MCoD neurons, are known to develop in a later phase of neurogenesis, and participate in slow swimming in older larvae. We hypothesized that these MCoD neurons play a role in coordinating the activities of trunk muscles in the diagonal dimension (e.g., the rostral left and the caudal right) to produce the S-shaped swimming form that contributes to the stability of the head. Here, we show that MCoD neurons do indeed play this role. In larvae in which MCoD neurons were laser-ablated, the swimming body form often adopted a one-sided (C-shaped) bend with reduced appearance of the normal S-shaped bend. With this change in swimming form, the MCoD-ablated larvae exhibited a greater degree of head yaw displacement during slow swimming. In mice, the long-distance descending commissural V0v neurons have been implicated in diagonal interlimb coordination during walking. Together with this, our study suggests that the long-distance descending commissural V0v neurons form an evolutionarily conserved pathway in the spinal locomotor circuits that coordinates the movements of the diagonal body/limb muscles.
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Deng L, Ravenscraft B, Xu XM. Exploring propriospinal neuron-mediated neural circuit plasticity using recombinant viruses after spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol 2021; 349:113962. [PMID: 34953895 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113962] [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: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Propriospinal neurons (PSNs) play a crucial role in motor control and sensory processing and contribute to plastic reorganization of spinal circuits responsible for recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI). Due to their scattered distribution and various intersegmental projection patterns, it is challenging to dissect the function of PSNs within the neuronal network. New genetically encoded tools, particularly cell-type-specific transgene expression methods using recombinant viral vectors combined with other genetic, pharmacologic, and optogenetic approaches, have enormous potential for visualizing PSNs in the neuronal circuits and monitoring and manipulating their activity. Furthermore, recombinant viral tools have been utilized to promote the intrinsic regenerative capacities of PSNs, towards manipulating the 'hostile' microenvironment for improving functional regeneration of PSNs. Here we summarize the latest development in this fast-moving field and provide a perspective for using this technology to dissect PSN physiological role in contributing to recovery of function after SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingxiao Deng
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Baylen Ravenscraft
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Xiao-Ming Xu
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States.
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34
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Chaterji S, Barik A, Sathyamurthy A. Intraspinal injection of adeno-associated viruses into the adult mouse spinal cord. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100786. [PMID: 34505088 PMCID: PMC8414904 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic dissection of neural circuits has been accelerated by recent advances in viral-based vectors. This protocol describes an effective approach to performing intraspinal injections of adeno-associated viruses, which can be used to label, manipulate, and monitor spinal and supraspinal neurons. By avoiding invasive laminectomies and restrictive spinal-clamping and by adopting injectable anaesthetics and tough quartz glass micropipettes, our protocol presents a time-saving and efficient approach for genetic manipulation of neural circuits nucleated in the spinal cord. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sathyamurthy et al. (2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrivas Chaterji
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Arnab Barik
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Anupama Sathyamurthy
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
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35
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Sengupta M, Daliparthi V, Roussel Y, Bui TV, Bagnall MW. Spinal V1 neurons inhibit motor targets locally and sensory targets distally. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3820-3833.e4. [PMID: 34289387 PMCID: PMC8440420 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Rostro-caudal coordination of spinal motor output is essential for locomotion. Most spinal interneurons project axons longitudinally to govern locomotor output, yet their connectivity along this axis remains unclear. In this study, we use larval zebrafish to map synaptic outputs of a major inhibitory population, V1 (Eng1+) neurons, which are implicated in dual sensory and motor functions. We find that V1 neurons exhibit long axons extending rostrally and exclusively ipsilaterally for an average of 6 spinal segments; however, they do not connect uniformly with their post-synaptic targets along the entire length of their axon. Locally, V1 neurons inhibit motor neurons (both fast and slow) and other premotor targets, including V2a, V2b, and commissural premotor neurons. In contrast, V1 neurons make robust long-range inhibitory contacts onto a dorsal horn sensory population, the commissural primary ascending neurons (CoPAs). In a computational model of the ipsilateral spinal network, we show that this pattern of short-range V1 inhibition to motor and premotor neurons underlies burst termination, which is critical for coordinated rostro-caudal propagation of the locomotor wave. We conclude that spinal network architecture in the longitudinal axis can vary dramatically, with differentially targeted local and distal connections, yielding important consequences for function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohini Sengupta
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Vamsi Daliparthi
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yann Roussel
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - Tuan V Bui
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Martha W Bagnall
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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36
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Grillner S. Evolution of the vertebrate motor system - from forebrain to spinal cord. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 71:11-18. [PMID: 34450468 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A comparison of the vertebrate motor systems of the oldest group of now living vertebrates (lamprey) with that of mammals shows that there are striking similarities not only in the basic organization but also with regard to synaptic properties, transmitters and neuronal properties. The lamprey dorsal pallium (cortex) has a motor, a visual and a somatosensory area, and the basal ganglia, including the dopamine system, are organized in a virtually identical way in the lamprey and rodents. This also applies to the midbrain, brainstem and spinal cord. However, during evolution additional capabilities such as systems for the control of foreleg/arms, hands and fingers have evolved. The findings suggest that when the evolutionary lineages of mammals and lamprey became separate around 500 million years ago, the blueprint of the vertebrate motor system had already evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.
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37
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Boulain M, Khsime I, Sourioux M, Thoby-Brisson M, Barrière G, Simmers J, Morin D, Juvin L. Synergistic interaction between sensory inputs and propriospinal signalling underlying quadrupedal locomotion. J Physiol 2021; 599:4477-4496. [PMID: 34412148 DOI: 10.1113/jp281861] [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: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Stimulation of hindlimb afferent fibres can both stabilize and increase the activity of fore- and hindlimb motoneurons during fictive locomotion. The increase in motoneuron activity is at least partially due to the production of doublets of action potentials in a subpopulation of motoneurons. These results were obtained using an in vitro brainstem/spinal cord preparation of neonatal rat. ABSTRACT Quadrupedal locomotion relies on a dynamic coordination between central pattern generators (CPGs) located in the cervical and lumbar spinal cord, and controlling the fore- and hindlimbs, respectively. It is assumed that this CPG interaction is achieved through separate closed-loop processes involving propriospinal and sensory pathways. However, the functional consequences of a concomitant involvement of these different influences on the degree of coordination between the fore- and hindlimb CPGs is still largely unknown. Using an in vitro brainstem/spinal cord preparation of neonatal rat, we found that rhythmic, bilaterally alternating stimulation of hindlimb sensory input pathways elicited coordinated hindlimb and forelimb CPG activity. During pharmacologically induced fictive locomotion, lumbar dorsal root (DR) stimulation entrained and stabilized an ongoing cervico-lumbar locomotor-like rhythm and increased the amplitude of both lumbar and cervical ventral root bursting. The increase in cervical burst amplitudes was correlated with the occurrence of doublet action potential firing in a subpopulation of motoneurons, enabling the latter to transition between low and high frequency discharge according to the intensity of DR stimulation. Moreover, our data revealed that propriospinal and sensory pathways act synergistically to strengthen cervico-lumbar interactions. Indeed, split-bath experiments showed that fully coordinated cervico-lumbar fictive locomotion was induced by combining pharmacological stimulation of either the lumbar or cervical CPGs with lumbar DR stimulation. This study thus highlights the powerful interactions between sensory and propriospinal pathways which serve to ensure the coupling of the fore- and hindlimb CPGs for effective quadrupedal locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Boulain
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Inès Khsime
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Mélissa Sourioux
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Muriel Thoby-Brisson
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Grégory Barrière
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - John Simmers
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Didier Morin
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Laurent Juvin
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, EPHE, INCIA, UMR5287 F-33000, Bordeaux, France
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38
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Haimson B, Hadas Y, Bernat N, Kania A, Daley MA, Cinnamon Y, Lev-Tov A, Klar A. Spinal lumbar dI2 interneurons contribute to stability of bipedal stepping. eLife 2021; 10:62001. [PMID: 34396953 PMCID: PMC8448531 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral and intraspinal feedback is required to shape and update the output of spinal networks that execute motor behavior. We report that lumbar dI2 spinal interneurons in chicks receive synaptic input from afferents and premotor neurons. These interneurons innervate contralateral premotor networks in the lumbar and brachial spinal cord, and their ascending projections innervate the cerebellum. These findings suggest that dI2 neurons function as interneurons in local lumbar circuits, are involved in lumbo-brachial coupling, and that part of them deliver peripheral and intraspinal feedback to the cerebellum. Silencing of dI2 neurons leads to destabilized stepping in P8 hatchlings, with occasional collapses, variable step profiles and a wide-base walking gait, suggesting that dI2 neurons may contribute to the stabilization of the bipedal gait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baruch Haimson
- Department of Medical Neurobiology,, IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel, jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yoav Hadas
- Department of Medical Neurobiology,, IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nimrod Bernat
- Department of Medical Neurobiology,, IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel, jerusalem, Israel
| | - Artur Kania
- Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montreal, Canada
| | - Monica A Daley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, United States
| | - Yuval Cinnamon
- Institute of Animal Science Poultry and Aquaculture Sci. Dept, Institute of Animal Science Poultry and Aquaculture Sci. Dept. Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Israel, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Aharon Lev-Tov
- Department of Medical Neurobiology,, IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel, Jerisalem, Israel
| | - Avihu Klar
- Medical Neurobiology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Lemieux M, Thiry L, Laflamme OD, Bretzner F. Role of DSCAM in the Development of Neural Control of Movement and Locomotion. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168511. [PMID: 34445216 PMCID: PMC8395195 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotion results in an alternance of flexor and extensor muscles between left and right limbs generated by motoneurons that are controlled by the spinal interneuronal circuit. This spinal locomotor circuit is modulated by sensory afferents, which relay proprioceptive and cutaneous inputs that inform the spatial position of limbs in space and potential contacts with our environment respectively, but also by supraspinal descending commands of the brain that allow us to navigate in complex environments, avoid obstacles, chase prey, or flee predators. Although signaling pathways are important in the establishment and maintenance of motor circuits, the role of DSCAM, a cell adherence molecule associated with Down syndrome, has only recently been investigated in the context of motor control and locomotion in the rodent. DSCAM is known to be involved in lamination and delamination, synaptic targeting, axonal guidance, dendritic and cell tiling, axonal fasciculation and branching, programmed cell death, and synaptogenesis, all of which can impact the establishment of motor circuits during development, but also their maintenance through adulthood. We discuss herein how DSCAM is important for proper motor coordination, especially for breathing and locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Lemieux
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences P09800, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (M.L.); (L.T.); (O.D.L.)
| | - Louise Thiry
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences P09800, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (M.L.); (L.T.); (O.D.L.)
| | - Olivier D. Laflamme
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences P09800, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (M.L.); (L.T.); (O.D.L.)
| | - Frédéric Bretzner
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences P09800, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (M.L.); (L.T.); (O.D.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
- Correspondence:
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40
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Computational Modeling of Spinal Locomotor Circuitry in the Age of Molecular Genetics. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136835. [PMID: 34202085 PMCID: PMC8267724 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal circuits in the spinal cord are essential for the control of locomotion. They integrate supraspinal commands and afferent feedback signals to produce coordinated rhythmic muscle activations necessary for stable locomotion. For several decades, computational modeling has complemented experimental studies by providing a mechanistic rationale for experimental observations and by deriving experimentally testable predictions. This symbiotic relationship between experimental and computational approaches has resulted in numerous fundamental insights. With recent advances in molecular and genetic methods, it has become possible to manipulate specific constituent elements of the spinal circuitry and relate them to locomotor behavior. This has led to computational modeling studies investigating mechanisms at the level of genetically defined neuronal populations and their interactions. We review literature on the spinal locomotor circuitry from a computational perspective. By reviewing examples leading up to and in the age of molecular genetics, we demonstrate the importance of computational modeling and its interactions with experiments. Moving forward, neuromechanical models with neuronal circuitry modeled at the level of genetically defined neuronal populations will be required to further unravel the mechanisms by which neuronal interactions lead to locomotor behavior.
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41
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Takei Y, Morishita K, Tazawa R, Saito K. Active Gaits Generation of Quadruped Robot Using Pulse-Type Hardware Neuron Models. Biomimetics (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.95760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In this chapter, the authors will propose the active gait generation of a quadruped robot. We developed the quadruped robot system using self-inhibited pulse-type hardware neuron models (P-HNMs) as a solution to elucidate the gait generation method. We feedbacked pressures at the robot system’s each foot to P-HNM and varied the joints’ angular velocity individually. We experimented with making the robot walk from an upright position on a flat floor. As a result of the experiment, we confirmed that the robot system spontaneously generates walk gait and trot gait according to the moving speed. Also, we clarified the process by which the robot actively generates gaits from the upright state. These results suggest that animals may generate gait using a similarly simple method because P-HNM mimics biological neurons’ function. Furthermore, it shows that our robot system can generate gaits adaptively and quite easily.
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42
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Unusual Quadrupedal Locomotion in Rat during Recovery from Lumbar Spinal Blockade of 5-HT 7 Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116007. [PMID: 34199392 PMCID: PMC8199611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordination of four-limb movements during quadrupedal locomotion is controlled by supraspinal monoaminergic descending pathways, among which serotoninergic ones play a crucial role. Here we investigated the locomotor pattern during recovery from blockade of 5-HT7 or 5-HT2A receptors after intrathecal application of SB269970 or cyproheptadine in adult rats with chronic intrathecal cannula implanted in the lumbar spinal cord. The interlimb coordination was investigated based on electromyographic activity recorded from selected fore- and hindlimb muscles during rat locomotion on a treadmill. In the time of recovery after hindlimb transient paralysis, we noticed a presence of an unusual pattern of quadrupedal locomotion characterized by a doubling of forelimb stepping in relation to unaffected hindlimb stepping (2FL-1HL) after blockade of 5-HT7 receptors but not after blockade of 5-HT2A receptors. The 2FL-1HL pattern, although transient, was observed as a stable form of fore-hindlimb coupling during quadrupedal locomotion. We suggest that modulation of the 5-HT7 receptors on interneurons located in lamina VII with ascending projections to the forelimb spinal network can be responsible for the 2FL-1HL locomotor pattern. In support, our immunohistochemical analysis of the lumbar spinal cord demonstrated the presence of the 5-HT7 immunoreactive cells in the lamina VII, which were rarely 5-HT2A immunoreactive.
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43
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Sathyamurthy A, Barik A, Dobrott CI, Matson KJE, Stoica S, Pursley R, Chesler AT, Levine AJ. Cerebellospinal Neurons Regulate Motor Performance and Motor Learning. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107595. [PMID: 32402292 PMCID: PMC7263484 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is important to reveal how movements are planned, executed, and refined by networks of neurons distributed throughout the nervous system. Here, we report the neuroanatomical organization and behavioral roles of cerebellospinal (CeS) neurons. Using intersectional genetic techniques, we find that CeS neurons constitute a small minority of excitatory neurons in the fastigial and interpositus deep cerebellar nuclei, target pre-motor circuits in the ventral spinal cord and the brain, and control distinct aspects of movement. CeS neurons that project to the ipsilateral cervical cord are required for skilled forelimb performance, while CeS neurons that project to the contralateral cervical cord are involved in skilled locomotor learning. Together, this work establishes CeS neurons as a critical component of the neural circuitry for skilled movements and provides insights into the organizational logic of motor networks. Sathyamurthy et al. define the organization, function, and targets of cerebellospinal neurons, revealing a direct link between the deep cerebellar nuclei and motor execution circuits in the spinal cord and demonstrating a role for these neurons in motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupama Sathyamurthy
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arnab Barik
- Sensory Cells and Circuits Section, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Courtney I Dobrott
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kaya J E Matson
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stefan Stoica
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Randall Pursley
- Signal Processing and Instrumentation Section, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alexander T Chesler
- Sensory Cells and Circuits Section, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ariel J Levine
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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44
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Osseward PJ, Amin ND, Moore JD, Temple BA, Barriga BK, Bachmann LC, Beltran F, Gullo M, Clark RC, Driscoll SP, Pfaff SL, Hayashi M. Conserved genetic signatures parcellate cardinal spinal neuron classes into local and projection subsets. Science 2021; 372:385-393. [PMID: 33888637 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe0690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Motor and sensory functions of the spinal cord are mediated by populations of cardinal neurons arising from separate progenitor lineages. However, each cardinal class is composed of multiple neuronal types with distinct molecular, anatomical, and physiological features, and there is not a unifying logic that systematically accounts for this diversity. We reasoned that the expansion of new neuronal types occurred in a stepwise manner analogous to animal speciation, and we explored this by defining transcriptomic relationships using a top-down approach. We uncovered orderly genetic tiers that sequentially divide groups of neurons by their motor-sensory, local-long range, and excitatory-inhibitory features. The genetic signatures defining neuronal projections were tied to neuronal birth date and conserved across cardinal classes. Thus, the intersection of cardinal class with projection markers provides a unifying taxonomic solution for systematically identifying distinct functional subsets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Osseward
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Neal D Amin
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Moore
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin A Temple
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Bianca K Barriga
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lukas C Bachmann
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Fernando Beltran
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Miriam Gullo
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robert C Clark
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shawn P Driscoll
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Samuel L Pfaff
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Marito Hayashi
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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45
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Hiraoka K. Phase-Dependent Crossed Inhibition Mediating Coordination of Anti-phase Bilateral Rhythmic Movement: A Mini Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:668442. [PMID: 34025379 PMCID: PMC8136415 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.668442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity of the left and right central pattern generators (CPGs) is efficiently coordinated during locomotion. To achieve this coordination, the interplay between the CPG controlling one leg and that controlling another must be present. Previous findings in aquatic vertebrates and mammalians suggest that the alternate activation of the left and right CPGs is mediated by the commissural interneurons crossing the midline of the spinal cord. Especially, V0 commissural interneurons mediate crossed inhibition during the alternative activity of the left and right CPGs. Even in humans, phase-dependent modulation of the crossed afferent inhibition during gait has been reported. Based on those previous findings, crossed inhibition of the CPG in one leg side caused by the activation of the contralateral CPG is a possible mechanism underlying the coordination of the anti-phase rhythmic movement of the legs. It has been hypothesized that the activity of the flexor half center in the CPG inhibits the contralateral flexor half center, but crossed inhibition of the extensor half center is not present because of the existence of the double limb support during gait. Nevertheless, previous findings on the phase-dependent crossed inhibition during anti-phase bilateral movement of the legs are not in line with this hypothesis. For example, extensor activity caused crossed inhibition of the flexor half center during bilateral cycling of the legs. In another study, the ankle extensor was inhibited at the period switching from extension to flexion during anti-phase rhythmic movement of the ankles. In this review article, I provide a critical discussion about crossed inhibition mediating the coordination of the anti-phase bilateral rhythmic movement of the legs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Hiraoka
- College of Health and Human Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Habikino, Japan
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46
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Brown BL, Zalla RM, Shepard CT, Howard RM, Kopechek JA, Magnuson DSK, Whittemore SR. Dual-Viral Transduction Utilizing Highly Efficient Retrograde Lentivirus Improves Labeling of Long Propriospinal Neurons. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:635921. [PMID: 33828464 PMCID: PMC8019739 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.635921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nervous system coordinates pathways and circuits to process sensory information and govern motor behaviors. Mapping these pathways is important to further understand the connectivity throughout the nervous system and is vital for developing treatments for neuronal diseases and disorders. We targeted long ascending propriospinal neurons (LAPNs) in the rat spinal cord utilizing Fluoro-Ruby (FR) [10kD rhodamine dextran amine (RDA)], and two dual-viral systems. Dual-viral tracing utilizing a retrograde adeno-associated virus (retroAAV), which confers robust labeling in the brain, resulted in a small number of LAPNs being labeled, but dual-viral tracing using a highly efficient retrograde (HiRet) lentivirus provided robust labeling similar to FR. Additionally, dual-viral tracing with HiRet lentivirus and tracing with FR may preferentially label different subpopulations of LAPNs. These data demonstrate that dual-viral tracing in the spinal cord employing a HiRet lentivirus provides robust and specific labeling of LAPNs and emphasizes the need to empirically optimize viral systems to target specific neuronal population(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Brown
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Rachel M Zalla
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Courtney T Shepard
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Russell M Howard
- Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Jonathan A Kopechek
- Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - David S K Magnuson
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Scott R Whittemore
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States.,Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
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47
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Brommer B, He M, Zhang Z, Yang Z, Page JC, Su J, Zhang Y, Zhu J, Gouy E, Tang J, Williams P, Dai W, Wang Q, Solinsky R, Chen B, He Z. Improving hindlimb locomotor function by Non-invasive AAV-mediated manipulations of propriospinal neurons in mice with complete spinal cord injury. Nat Commun 2021; 12:781. [PMID: 33536416 PMCID: PMC7859413 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20980-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
After complete spinal cord injuries (SCI), spinal segments below the lesion maintain inter-segmental communication via the intraspinal propriospinal network. However, it is unknown whether selective manipulation of these circuits can restore locomotor function in the absence of brain-derived inputs. By taking advantage of the compromised blood-spinal cord barrier following SCI, we optimized a set of procedures in which AAV9 vectors administered via the tail vein efficiently transduce neurons in lesion-adjacent spinal segments after a thoracic crush injury in adult mice. With this method, we used chemogenetic actuators to alter the excitability of propriospinal neurons in the thoracic cord of the adult mice with a complete thoracic crush injury. We showed that activating these thoracic neurons enables consistent and significant hindlimb stepping improvement, whereas direct manipulations of the neurons in the lumbar spinal cord led to muscle spasms without meaningful locomotion. Strikingly, manipulating either excitatory or inhibitory propriospinal neurons in the thoracic levels leads to distinct behavioural outcomes, with preferential effects on standing or stepping, two key elements of the locomotor function. These results demonstrate a strategy of engaging thoracic propriospinal neurons to improve hindlimb function and provide insights into optimizing neuromodulation-based strategies for treating SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Brommer
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Miao He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Zicong Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica C Page
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junfeng Su
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junjie Zhu
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emilia Gouy
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jing Tang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Philip Williams
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wei Dai
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Qi Wang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ryan Solinsky
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bo Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, & Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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48
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Zholudeva LV, Abraira VE, Satkunendrarajah K, McDevitt TC, Goulding MD, Magnuson DSK, Lane MA. Spinal Interneurons as Gatekeepers to Neuroplasticity after Injury or Disease. J Neurosci 2021; 41:845-854. [PMID: 33472820 PMCID: PMC7880285 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1654-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal interneurons are important facilitators and modulators of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions in the intact CNS. This heterogeneous population of neurons is now widely appreciated to be a key component of plasticity and recovery. This review highlights our current understanding of spinal interneuron heterogeneity, their contribution to control and modulation of motor and sensory functions, and how this role might change after traumatic spinal cord injury. We also offer a perspective for how treatments can optimize the contribution of interneurons to functional improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey, 08854
| | - Kajana Satkunendrarajah
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, 53226
- Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53295
| | - Todd C McDevitt
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, 94158
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143
| | | | - David S K Magnuson
- University of Louisville, Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Louisville, Kentucky, 40208
| | - Michael A Lane
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, and the Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19129
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49
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Ronzano R, Lancelin C, Bhumbra GS, Brownstone RM, Beato M. Proximal and distal spinal neurons innervating multiple synergist and antagonist motor pools. eLife 2021; 10:70858. [PMID: 34727018 PMCID: PMC8631798 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Motoneurons (MNs) control muscle contractions, and their recruitment by premotor circuits is tuned to produce accurate motor behaviours. To understand how these circuits coordinate movement across and between joints, it is necessary to understand whether spinal neurons pre-synaptic to motor pools have divergent projections to more than one MN population. Here, we used modified rabies virus tracing in mice to investigate premotor interneurons projecting to synergist flexor or extensor MNs, as well as those projecting to antagonist pairs of muscles controlling the ankle joint. We show that similar proportions of premotor neurons diverge to synergist and antagonist motor pools. Divergent premotor neurons were seen throughout the spinal cord, with decreasing numbers but increasing proportion with distance from the hindlimb enlargement. In the cervical cord, divergent long descending propriospinal neurons were found in contralateral lamina VIII, had large somata, were neither glycinergic, nor cholinergic, and projected to both lumbar and cervical MNs. We conclude that distributed spinal premotor neurons coordinate activity across multiple motor pools and that there are spinal neurons mediating co-contraction of antagonist muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remi Ronzano
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Camille Lancelin
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Gardave Singh Bhumbra
- Department of Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert M Brownstone
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Marco Beato
- Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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50
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Tian T, Li X. Applications of tissue clearing in the spinal cord. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:4019-4036. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Tian
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
| | - Xiaoguang Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
- Beijing International Cooperation Bases for Science and Technology on Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
- Department of Neurobiology School of Basic Medical Sciences Capital Medical University Beijing China
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