Mechanisms of postural control operated by the basal ganglia, brainstem and spinal cord

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25290001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Asahikawa Medical College
• Principal Investigator: Takakusaki Kaoru 旭川医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (10206732)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OKUMURA Toshikatsu 旭川医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (60281903) ; NOZU Tsukasa 旭川医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30312367) ; OBARA Kazuhiro 旭川医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (40548749) ; FUNAKOSHI Hiroshi 旭川医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (40273685) ; KOBAYASHI Kazuto 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90211903)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 姿勢制御 / 歩行 / 網様体脊髄路 / 前庭脊髄路 / パーキンソン病 / 黒質網様部 / GABA作動性投射 / 脚橋被蓋核

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study was designed to verify our hypothesis that an abnormal output from the basal ganglia to the brainstem-spinal cord causes posture-gait disturbance in basal ganglia disorders. For this purpose, we employed electrophysiological techniques combined with neuropharmacological assessments in decerebrate cats to examine how GABAergic output from the substantia nigra reticulata (SNr), one of the basal ganglia output nuclei, to the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) modulated activity descending brainstem-spinal cord motor pathways. Our results suggest that GABAergic SNr-PPN projection contribute to the posture-gait control by modulating the excitability of reticulospinal tract. Because the reticulospinal tract has dense connections with the vestibulospinal and monoaminergic tracts, the present results suggest that an abnormal activity in the SNr in basal ganglia motor disorders cause posture-gait disturbances by changing the excitability of brainstem-spinal cord systems.

Free Research Field

Neuroscience