Motor functions and connectivity of the superior colliculus.

在我们以前的研究中，我们证明了到达相关的信号存在于人类上级丘（SC）的中间层和深层，在过渡区的中脑网状结构（MRF）。由于这种定位，我们引入了标签“SC-MRF区域”。使用功能磁共振成像，我们还证明了一个偏侧的达到相关的信号取决于积极的手臂和区别达到相关的信号明确的视觉刺激的SC。在过去的两年中，非特异性的运动的手臂，手，手指到充分达到运动已引起药理学和电刺激的非人类灵长类动物在这一地区的两项研究。探讨颈部肌张力障碍的神经基础，另一项对猴子的研究表明，通过对深SC进行药物治疗，抑制黑质可引起斜颈的减弱。将这一观察结果转移到我们研究的功能背景中，我们可以假设SC的功能和连接性可能与局灶性肌张力障碍和其他运动障碍的发生具有临床相关性的上肢。然而，人类SC-MRF区域的基本特征目前尚不清楚。以前对猴子和人类这一区域的研究主要集中在视觉引导的到达上。因此，目前还不清楚SC-MRF是否也有助于处理其他运动类型，例如体感引导运动或协调手指运动而没有手臂的运输运动。此外，人类SC-MRF的功能和解剖学连接完全未知，即使在猴子中，其连接也是未知的。我们的项目的第一个主要目标是与SC-MRF区域的活动相关的那些运动功能的规范。我们的第二个主要目标是详尽的描述这个区域的解剖和功能连接在人类运动网络，从皮质运动区颈椎。

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.