Motor functions and connectivity of the superior colliculus.

在我们之前的研究中，我们证明了在人类上丘（SC）的中间层和深层，在中脑网状结构（MRF）的过渡区域存在与到达相关的信号。由于这种本地化，我们引入了“SC-MRF区域”的标签。利用功能磁共振成像，我们还证明了与活动臂相关的信号的偏侧化，并明确区分了与SC视觉刺激相关的信号。在过去两年中，在两项研究中，非人类灵长类动物的手臂、手和手指的非特异性运动，直到完全伸展运动，都是通过对该区域的药物和电刺激引起的。针对颈张力障碍的神经基础，另一项对猴子的研究表明，通过深部SC的药物治疗抑制黑质诱导斜颈的减弱。将这一观察结果转移到我们研究的功能背景中，让我们假设SC的功能和连通性可能与局灶性张力障碍和上肢其他运动障碍的发生具有临床相关性。然而，人类SC-MRF区域的基本特征目前尚不清楚。先前对猴子和人类这一区域的研究主要集中在视觉引导下的伸手。因此，尚不清楚SC-MRF是否也有助于其他运动类型的加工，例如体感引导运动或没有手臂运输运动的手指协调运动。此外，人类SC-MRF的功能和解剖学联系是完全未知的，即使在猴子中，其连通性也大多是未知的。我们项目的第一个主要目标是规范与SC-MRF区域活动相关的运动功能。我们的第二个主要目标是详尽地描述该区域在人类运动网络中的解剖和功能连接，范围从皮质运动区到颈椎。

In our preceding studies we demonstrated the existence of reach-related signals in the intermediate and deep layers of the human superior colliculus (SC), in a transition region to the mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF). Because of this localisation we introduced the label "SC-MRF region". Using fMRI we also demonstrated a lateralisation of reach-related signals depending on the active arm and distinguished reach-related signals unequivocally from visual stimulation of the SC. In the last two years, unspecific movements of the arms, hands, and fingers up to full reaching movements have been elicited by pharmacological and electrical stimulations of this region in non-human primates in two studies. Addressing the neural substrates of cervical dystonia, another study in monkeys demonstrated the attentuation of a torticollis that was induced by inhibition of the substantia nigra through a pharmacological treatment of the deep SC. Transferring this observation to the functional context of our studies let us assume that the functions and connectivity of the SC could have a clinical relevance for the occurrence of focal dystonias and other movement disorders of the upper limb. However, essential characteristics of the human SC-MRF region are currently unknown. Previous studies of this region in monkeys and humans focused on visually guided reaching. Therefore, it is unclear whether the SC-MRF also contributes to the processing of other movement types, e.g. somatosensory guided movements or coordinated finger movements without transport movements of the arm. Furthermore, the functional and anatomical connections of the human SC-MRF are completely unknown and even in monkeys its connectivity is mostly unknown. The first main goal of our project is a specification of those motor functions that are associated with activity of the SC-MRF region. Our second main goal is an exhaustive description of this region's anatomical and functional connectivity within the human motor networks, ranging from cortical motor areas to the cervical spine.