It has been hypothesized that to perform sensorimotor transformations efficiently, somatosensory information being fed back to a particular motor circuit is organized in accordance with the mechanical loading patterns of the skin that result from the motor activity generated by that circuit. Rearrangements of sensory information to different motor circuits could in this respect constitute a key component of sensorimotor learning. We here explored whether the organization of tactile input from the plantar forepaw of the rat to cortical and striatal circuits is affected by a period of extensive sensorimotor training in a skilled reaching and grasping task. Our data show that the representation of tactile stimuli in terms of both temporal and spatial response patterns changes as a consequence of the training and that spatial changes particularly involve the primary motor cortex. Based on the observed reorganization, we propose that reshaping of the spatiotemporal representation of the tactile afference to motor circuits is an integral component of the learning process that underlies skill acquisition in reaching and grasping. Sensorimotor transformations are fundamental to the function of the nervous system and determine how patterns of sensory input are converted into appropriate movements. We here investigated the extent to which experience-dependent processes can reshape the organization of somatosensory input feeding into cortico-basal ganglia motor structures. Our data point to a particularly important role for the primary motor cortex in the functional adaptions associated with skilled motor learning.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00464.2021 | DOI Listing |
Neural Regen Res
January 2025
School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
After spinal cord injury, impairment of the sensorimotor circuit can lead to dysfunction in the motor, sensory, proprioceptive, and autonomic nervous systems. Functional recovery is often hindered by constraints on the timing of interventions, combined with the limitations of current methods. To address these challenges, various techniques have been developed to aid in the repair and reconstruction of neural circuits at different stages of injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeural Regen Res
January 2025
Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
For many decades, Alzheimer's disease research has primarily focused on impairments within cortical and hippocampal regions, which are thought to be related to cognitive dysfunctions such as memory and language deficits. The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is still under debate, making it challenging to establish an effective therapy or early diagnosis. It is widely accepted that the accumulation of amyloid-beta peptide in the brain parenchyma leads to synaptic dysfunction, a critical step in Alzheimer's disease development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain Commun
January 2025
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
The subthalamic nucleus is thought to play a crucial role in controlling impulsive actions. Networked among the basal ganglia and receiving input from several cortical areas, the subthalamic nucleus is well positioned to influence action selection when faced with competing and conflicting action outcomes. The purpose of this study was to test the dissociable roles of the dorsal and ventral aspects of the subthalamic nucleus during action conflict in patients with Parkinson's disease undergoing intraoperative neurophysiological recording and to explore a potential mechanism for this inhibitory control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Aging Neurosci
January 2025
Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, Guizhou, China.
Background And Purpose: Asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and vascular cognitive impairment, affecting cognitive function across multiple domains. This study aimed to explore differences in static and dynamic intrinsic functional connectivity and temporal dynamics between patients with ACS and those without carotid stenosis.
Methods: We recruited 30 patients with unilateral moderate-to-severe (stenosis ≥ 50%) ACS and 30 demographically-matched healthy controls.
Sci Rep
January 2025
Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Institute of Spinal Cord Injury, Department of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Neuromuscular diseases usually manifest as abnormalities involving motor neurons, neuromuscular junctions, and skeletal muscle (SkM) in postnatal stage. Present in vitro models of neuromuscular interactions require a long time and lack neuroglia involvement. Our study aimed to construct rodent bioengineered spinal cord neural network-skeletal muscle (NN-SkM) assembloids to elucidate the interactions between spinal cord neural stem cells (SC-NSCs) and SkM cells and their biological effects on the development and maturation of postnatal spinal cord motor neural circuits.
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