Basal ganglia-spinal cord pathway that commands locomotor gait asymmetries in mice.

ABSTRACT: The basal ganglia are essential for executing motor actions. How the basal ganglia engage spinal motor networks has remained elusive. Medullary Chx10 gigantocellular (Gi) neurons are required for turning gait programs, suggesting that turning gaits organized by the basal ganglia are executed via this descending pathway. Performing deep brainstem recordings of Chx10 Gi Ca²⁺ activity in adult mice, we show that striatal projection neurons initiate turning gaits via a dominant crossed pathway to Chx10 Gi neurons on the contralateral side. Using intersectional viral tracing and cell-type-specific modulation, we uncover the principal basal ganglia-spinal cord pathway for locomotor asymmetries in mice: basal ganglia → pontine reticular nucleus, oral part (PnO) → Chx10 Gi → spinal cord

SUBMITTER: Cregg JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11001584 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature