Physiology of midbrain head movement neurons in cervical dystonia.

Background: Early theories for cervical dystonia, as promoted by Hassler, emphasized the role of the midbrain interstitial nucleus of Cajal. Focus then shifted to the basal ganglia, and it was further supported with the success of deep brain stimulation. Contemporary theories suggested the role of the cerebellum, but even more recent hypotheses renewed interest in the midbrain.

Participation of the thalamic CM-Pf complex in movement performance in patients with dystonia.

Introduction: The centrum medianum- parafascicular complex of the human thalamus has a critical influence on cortical activity and significantly influences somatosensory function, arousal, and attention. In addition to its cortical connections, this region of the intralaminar thalamic nuclei is also connected to motor areas of the basal ganglia and the brain stem.

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify movement-related neurons in the centrum medianum-parafascicular complex and analyze the changes in their activity during voluntary movements in patients with cervical dystonia.

[Neuronal mechanisms of motor signal transmission in thalamic Voi nucleus in spasmodic torticollis patients].

Neural mechanisms of motor signal transmission in ventrooral (Voi) nucleus of motor thalamus during the realization-of voluntary and involuntary abnormal (dystonic) movements in patients with spasmodic torticollis were investigated by means of microelectrode technique. The high reactivity of the cellular Voi elements to various functional (mainly motor) tests was proved. Analysis of neuronal activity showed: (1) the difference of neural mechanisms of motor signal transmission in the realization of voluntary movement with and without the involvement of the pathological axial neck muscles, as well as passive and abnormal involuntary dystonic movements; (2) significance of sensory component in the mechanisms of sensorimotor interactions during realization of voluntary and involuntary dystonic head and neck movements, causing the activation of the axial neck muscles; (3) important role of the rhythmic and synchronized neuronal activity in motor signal transmission during the realization of active and passive movements.

[Significance of local synchronization and oscillatory processes of thalamic neurons in goal-directed human behavior].

The time-frequency characteristics and interneuron interaction in the cell ensembles of non-specific (CM-Pf) and motor (Voi) thalamus were analyzed. Neuronal activity was registered by microelectrode technique during 18 stereotactic neurosurgery operations in spasmodic torticollis patients. The presentation of functionally significant verbal stimuli was accompanied by the emergence of short-term (0.

[Neuronal mechanisms of voluntary and involuntary movements in parafascicular (CM-PF) thalamic complex in spasmodic torticollis patients].

Activity of 144 parafascicular CM-Pf thalamic neurons was studied and recorded by means of microelectrodes during 18 stereotactical neurosurgical operations in spasmodic torticollis patients. High reactivity of two previously classified neurons with single sporadic activity (A-type) and bursts of Ca2(+)-dependent activity (B-type) were found during verbally ordered voluntary movements. There are coordinated reciprocal activation-inhibition A-type and B-type neuronal responses at the stage of verbal command presentation and synergic activation responses on the high of movement and in the aftereffect.