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Cieslak PE, Drabik S, Gugula A, Trenk A, Gorkowska M, Przybylska K, Szumiec L, Kreiner G, Rodriguez Parkitna J, Blasiak A. Dopamine Receptor-Expressing Neurons Are Differently Distributed throughout Layers of the Motor Cortex to Control Dexterity. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0490-23.2023. [PMID: 38423792 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0490-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The motor cortex comprises the primary descending circuits for flexible control of voluntary movements and is critically involved in motor skill learning. Motor skill learning is impaired in patients with Parkinson's disease, but the precise mechanisms of motor control and skill learning are still not well understood. Here we have used transgenic mice, electrophysiology, in situ hybridization, and neural tract-tracing methods to target genetically defined cell types expressing D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in the motor cortex. We observed that putative D1 and D2 dopamine receptor-expressing neurons (D1+ and D2+, respectively) are organized in highly segregated, nonoverlapping populations. Moreover, based on ex vivo patch-clamp recordings, we showed that D1+ and D2+ cells have distinct morphological and electrophysiological properties. Finally, we observed that chemogenetic inhibition of D2+, but not D1+, neurons disrupts skilled forelimb reaching in adult mice. Overall, these results demonstrate that dopamine receptor-expressing cells in the motor cortex are highly segregated and play a specialized role in manual dexterity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw E Cieslak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Sylwia Drabik
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Anna Gugula
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Trenk
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Martyna Gorkowska
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Kinga Przybylska
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
| | - Lukasz Szumiec
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-343, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Kreiner
- Department of Brain Biochemistry, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-343, Poland
| | - Jan Rodriguez Parkitna
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-343, Poland
| | - Anna Blasiak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow 30-387, Poland
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Statistical Analysis and Kinematic Assessment of Upper Limb Reaching Task in Parkinson's Disease. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22051708. [PMID: 35270853 PMCID: PMC8915106 DOI: 10.3390/s22051708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The impact of neurodegenerative disorders is twofold; they affect both quality of life and healthcare expenditure. In the case of Parkinson's disease, several strategies have been attempted to support the pharmacological treatment with rehabilitation protocols aimed at restoring motor function. In this scenario, the study of upper limb control mechanisms is particularly relevant due to the complexity of the joints involved in the movement of the arm. For these reasons, it is difficult to define proper indicators of the rehabilitation outcome. In this work, we propose a methodology to analyze and extract an ensemble of kinematic parameters from signals acquired during a complex upper limb reaching task. The methodology is tested in both healthy subjects and Parkinson's disease patients (N = 12), and a statistical analysis is carried out to establish the value of the extracted kinematic features in distinguishing between the two groups under study. The parameters with the greatest number of significances across the submovements are duration, mean velocity, maximum velocity, maximum acceleration, and smoothness. Results allowed the identification of a subset of significant kinematic parameters that could serve as a proof-of-concept for a future definition of potential indicators of the rehabilitation outcome in Parkinson's disease.
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Fasano A, Mazzoni A, Falotico E. Reaching and Grasping Movements in Parkinson's Disease: A Review. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:1083-1113. [PMID: 35253780 PMCID: PMC9198782 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-213082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is known to affect the brain motor circuits involving the basal ganglia (BG) and to induce, among other signs, general slowness and paucity of movements. In upper limb movements, PD patients show a systematic prolongation of movement duration while maintaining a sufficient level of endpoint accuracy. PD appears to cause impairments not only in movement execution, but also in movement initiation and planning, as revealed by abnormal preparatory activity of motor-related brain areas. Grasping movement is affected as well, particularly in the coordination of the hand aperture with the transport phase. In the last fifty years, numerous behavioral studies attempted to clarify the mechanisms underlying these anomalies, speculating on the plausible role that the BG-thalamo-cortical circuitry may play in normal and pathological motor control. Still, many questions remain open, especially concerning the management of the speed-accuracy tradeoff and the online feedback control. In this review, we summarize the literature results on reaching and grasping in parkinsonian patients. We analyze the relevant hypotheses on the origins of dysfunction, by focusing on the motor control aspects involved in the different movement phases and the corresponding role played by the BG. We conclude with an insight into the innovative stimulation techniques and computational models recently proposed, which might be helpful in further clarifying the mechanisms through which PD affects reaching and grasping movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Fasano
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence to: Alessio Fasano and Egidio Falotico, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Polo Sant’Anna Valdera, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio, 34, 56025 Pontedera (PI), Italy. Tel.: +39 050 883 457; E-mails: and
| | - Alberto Mazzoni
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Egidio Falotico
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence to: Alessio Fasano and Egidio Falotico, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Polo Sant’Anna Valdera, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio, 34, 56025 Pontedera (PI), Italy. Tel.: +39 050 883 457; E-mails: and
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4
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Formaggio E, Rubega M, Rupil J, Antonini A, Masiero S, Toffolo GM, Del Felice A. Reduced Effective Connectivity in the Motor Cortex in Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11091200. [PMID: 34573222 PMCID: PMC8466840 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11091200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fast rhythms excess is a hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). To implement innovative, non-pharmacological, neurostimulation interventions to restore cortical-cortical interactions, we need to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Here, we investigated effective connectivity on source-level resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) signals in 15 PD participants and 10 healthy controls. First, we fitted multivariate auto-regressive models to the EEG source waveforms. Second, we estimated causal connections using Granger Causality, which provide information on connections’ strength and directionality. Lastly, we sought significant differences connectivity patterns between the two populations characterizing the network graph features—i.e., global efficiency and node strength. Causal brain networks in PD show overall poorer and weaker connections compared to controls quantified as a reduction of global efficiency. Motor areas appear almost isolated, with a strongly impoverished information flow particularly from parietal and occipital cortices. This striking isolation of motor areas may reflect an impaired sensory-motor integration in PD. The identification of defective nodes/edges in PD network may be a biomarker of disease and a potential target for future interventional trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Formaggio
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, Via Gustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy; (E.F.); (S.M.); (A.D.F.)
| | - Maria Rubega
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, Via Gustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy; (E.F.); (S.M.); (A.D.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jessica Rupil
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6/A, 35131 Padova, Italy; (J.R.); (G.M.T.)
| | - Angelo Antonini
- Parkinson and Movement Disorders Unit, Study Centre on Neurodegeneration (CESNE), Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35121 Padova, Italy;
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Via Orus, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Stefano Masiero
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, Via Gustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy; (E.F.); (S.M.); (A.D.F.)
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Via Orus, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Gianna Maria Toffolo
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6/A, 35131 Padova, Italy; (J.R.); (G.M.T.)
| | - Alessandra Del Felice
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, Via Gustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy; (E.F.); (S.M.); (A.D.F.)
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Via Orus, 35128 Padova, Italy
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Hyland BI, Seeger-Armbruster S, Smither RA, Parr-Brownlie LC. Altered Recruitment of Motor Cortex Neuronal Activity During the Grasping Phase of Skilled Reaching in a Chronic Rat Model of Unilateral Parkinsonism. J Neurosci 2019; 39:9660-9672. [PMID: 31641050 PMCID: PMC6880456 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0720-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease causes prominent difficulties in the generation and execution of voluntary limb movements, including regulation of distal muscles and coordination of proximal and distal movement components to achieve accurate grasping. Difficulties with manual dexterity have a major impact on activities of daily living. We used extracellular single neuron recordings to investigate the neural underpinnings of parkinsonian movement deficits in the motor cortex of chronic unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion male rats performing a skilled reach-to-grasp task the. Both normal movements and parkinsonian deficits in this task have striking homology to human performance. In lesioned animals there were several differences in the activity of cortical neurons during reaches by the affected limb compared with control rats. These included an increase in proportions of neurons showing rate decreases, along with increased amplitude of their average rate-decrease response at specific times during the reach, suggesting a shift in the balance of net excitation and inhibition of cortical neurons; a significant increase in the duration of rate-increase responses, which could result from reduced coupling of cortical activity to specific movement components; and changes in the timing and incidence of neurons with pure rate-increase or biphasic responses, particularly at the end of reach when grasping would normally be occurring. The changes in cortical activity may account for the deficits that occur in skilled distal motor control following dopamine depletion, and highlight the need for treatment strategies targeted toward modulating cortical mechanisms for fine distal motor control in patients.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show for the first time in a chronic lesion rat model of Parkinson's disease movement deficits that there are specific changes in motor cortex neuron activity associated with the grasping phase of a skilled motor task. Such changes provide a possible mechanism underpinning the problems with manual dexterity seen in Parkinson's patients and highlight the need for treatment strategies targeted toward distal motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Roseanna A Smither
- Department of Physiology and
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Science and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand and the Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence
| | - Louise C Parr-Brownlie
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Science and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand and the Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence
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6
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Morris R, Whishaw IQ. Arm and hand movement: current knowledge and future perspective. Front Neurol 2015; 6:19. [PMID: 25705202 PMCID: PMC4319398 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2015.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Renée Morris
- Department of Anatomy, Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Australia , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Ian Q Whishaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge , Lethbridge, AB , Canada
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