Topic: motor thalamus

Neural preconfigured activity patterns (nPAPs) have been proposed as basic building blocks for cognitive and sensory processing. However, their existence and function in motor networks have not been explicitly studied. Here, we explore the possibility that nPAPs are present in the motor thalamus (VL/VM) and their potential contribution to motor-related activity. To this end, we developed a preparation where VL/VM multiunitary activity could be robustly recorded in mouse behavior evoked by primary motor cortex (M1) optogenetic stimulation and forelimb movements. VL/VM-evoked activity was organi

The ability to control movement and to refine and learn new motor skills is one of the fundamental functions of the brain. The basal ganglia (BG) and the cerebellum (CB) are two key brain regions involved in controlling movement, and neuronal plasticity within these two regions underlies the acquisition of new motor skills. However, how these two critical motor regions interact and orchestrate together to produce a cohesive motor output remains poorly understood. Here, we used an intersectional viral tracing approach to identify neurons in the motor thalamus that receive inputs from BG and CB