REACH TO GRASP IN THE DENTATE NUCLEUS

该研究项目旨在研究猫抓握动作的神经控制通路的一部分。 这些动作是许多行为的重要组成部分，包括进食和防御。 很可能是利用伸手去抓的动作来拿起这份文件的。 当运动失败时，生活就会发生巨大变化。 为了修复缺陷，有必要了解运动的基本神经控制。 拟议的研究将有助于这种理解。运动的神经控制的基本方面之一是神经系统中控制通路的组织。 大脑的哪些区域控制运动？控制信号在大脑中传播时如何变化？ 大脑结构内的运动控制是如何组织的？ 吉布森博士的实验室专注于对抓握运动的控制。 他的工作确定了一条似乎致力于控制抓握运动的抓握方面的途径。该通路包括小脑深核中的间核和大细胞红核。 这些区域的神经元只有在进行抓握动作时才会急剧放电。 抓握路径表明存在到达路径。最近，吉布森博士实验室的工作发现了中脑网状结构的一个区域，在抓握运动过程中，神经元会在该区域放电。 实验室的初步解剖数据表明，齿状核投射到中脑网状结构的相关区域。拟议的研究将首先研究在伸手抓握运动过程中齿状核神经元的放电情况。接下来，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域对抓握的贡献。 将比较每个区域失活造成的赤字。

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.