REACH TO GRASP IN THE DENTATE NUCLEUS

本研究旨在研究猫REACH抓取动作的神经控制通路的一部分。这些动作是包括进食和防御在内的许多行为的重要组成部分。伸手抓住动作很可能是用来拿起这份文件的。当这场运动失败时，生活就会发生巨大的变化。为了修复缺陷，了解运动的基本神经控制是必要的。拟议的研究将有助于这一理解。神经控制运动的一个基本方面是神经系统中控制路径的组织。大脑的哪些区域控制着这种运动？当控制信号通过大脑时，它们是如何变化的？大脑结构中运动的控制是如何组织起来的？吉布森博士的实验室专注于控制伸展来抓住运动。他的工作已经确定了一条似乎致力于控制伸展的抓握方面的路径来抓取运动。这条通路包括小脑深核中的间位核和大细胞红核。这些区域的神经元急剧放电，只有在抓住时才能达到运动。GRACH路径表明存在一条REACH路径。最近，吉布森博士实验室的工作已经确定了中脑网状结构的一个区域，神经元在那里放电，以便在伸展过程中伸展到抓住运动。实验室的初步解剖数据表明，齿状核投射到与REACH相关的中脑网状结构区域。这项拟议的研究将首先调查在REACH抓取动作时齿状核神经元的放电情况。下一步，将通过齿状核和中脑网状结构的失活实验来研究这些神经区对REACH抓取的贡献。我们将比较每个区域因失活而产生的赤字。

This research project aims to investigate a part of the neural control pathway for reach to grasp movements in cats. These movements are an essential part of many behaviors including feeding and defense. A reach to grasp movement was most likely utilized to pick up this document. When the movement fails, life changes drastically. To repair a deficit, an understanding of the basic neural control of the movement is necessary. The proposed research will contribute to this understanding. One of the fundamental aspects of the neural control of a movement is the organization of its control pathway in the nervous system. What areas of the brain control the movement? How do the control signals change as they progress through the brain? How is the control of the movement organized within the brain structures involved? Dr. Gibson's laboratory has concentrated on the control of the reach to grasp movement. His work has identified a pathway which appears dedicated to the control of the grasping aspect of the reach to grasp movement. This pathway includes the interpositus nucleus in the deep cerebellar nuclei and the magnocellular red nucleus. Neurons in these areas discharge sharply only to reach movements with a grasp. A grasp pathway suggests that there is a reach pathway. Recently, work in Dr. Gibson's laboratory has identified an area of the mesencephalic reticular formation where neurons discharge for reaching during the reach to grasp movement. Preliminary anatomical data from the lab suggests that the dentate nucleus projects to the reach related area of the mesencephalic reticular formation. The proposed research will first investigate the discharge from neurons in the dentate nucleus during reach to grasp movements. Next, the contribution these neural areas make to the reach to grasp will be studied through inactivation experiments of the dentate nucleus and the mesencephalic reticular formation. The deficits from the inactivation of each of the areas will be compared.