近日，中国科学院脑科学与智能技术卓越创新中心王佐仁及其研究小组发现，中脑脚桥核的谷氨能回路调节多种运动功能。相关论文于2024年11月11日在线发表在《神经科学通报》杂志上。

研究人员证明了中脑脚桥核（PPN）中谷氨能（vGluT2）神经元的活动与运动和同侧头部转动相关。除了这些运动功能外，研究人员发现这些前部PPN-vGluT2神经元对显著刺激有显著反应。

进一步地，研究人员系统地追踪了这些神经元的上游和下游投射，识别出了两个下游投射。一个指向脑桥尾侧网状核/巨细胞网状核（PnC/GiA），另一个指向未定带区（ZI）。

这些发现表明，投射到PnC/GiA的神经元抑制运动，这与“暂停-播放”行为一致，而投射到ZI的神经元促进运动，另一些则响应新的“暂停-切换-播放”模式。综合来看，这些发现阐明了PPN对运动功能的多面影响，并为理解其生理学和潜在治疗意义提供了坚实的理论框架。

据悉，vGluT2神经元在PPN中调节运动活动的功能角色仍存在争议。

附：英文原文

Title: Glutamatergic Circuits in the Pedunculopontine Nucleus Modulate Multiple Motor Functions

Author: Huang, Yanwang, Wang, Shangyi, Wang, Qingxiu, Zheng, Chaowen, Yang, Feng, Wei, Lei, Zhou, Xintong, Wang, Zuoren

Issue&Volume: 2024-11-11

Abstract: The functional role of glutamatergic (vGluT2) neurons in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) in modulating motor activity remains controversial. Here, we demonstrated that the activity of vGluT2 neurons in the rostral PPN is correlated with locomotion and ipsilateral head-turning. Beyond these motor functions, we found that these rostral PPN-vGluT2 neurons remarkably respond to salient stimuli. Furthermore, we systematically traced the upstream and downstream projections of these neurons and identified two downstream projections from these neurons to the caudal pontine reticular nucleus/anterior gigantocellular reticular nucleus (PnC/GiA) and the zona incerta (ZI). Our findings indicate that the projections to the PnC/GiA inhibit movement, consistent with ‘pause-and-play’ behavior, whereas those to the ZI promote locomotion, and others respond to a new ‘pause-switch-play’ pattern. Collectively, these findings elucidate the multifaceted influence of the PPN on motor functions and provide a robust theoretical framework for understanding its physiological and potential therapeutic implications.

DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01314-y

Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12264-024-01314-y