CEREBRAL CORTICAL CONTROL OF MOVEMENT

拟议研究的最终目的是增加我们对 运动皮质是如何控制运动并随后做出贡献的 为更好地治疗人类运动功能障碍而努力。具体目标 在接下来的几年里将探索潜在的神经机制 高等哺乳动物的运动学习。 在过去的赠款期间，我们发现破伤风刺激 感觉皮层产生突触长时程增强(LTP) 猫运动皮质的电位增加了这一可能性 大脑皮层(CC)输入参与运动学习和记忆。 在接下来的几年里，将进行以下实验。这个 这些实验的目的是检查1)是否所有CC输入到和 从运动皮质产生LTP通过将强直性皮质内 对运动皮质的微刺激或投射到 运动皮质，2)这个输入是否真的参与了运动学习 通过训练猴子学习新的运动技能，无论有没有 运动皮质的投影区。然后我们将检查是否所有的CC 在大脑皮层的输入可以产生LTP和4)锥体是否 TRAIL也会产生LTP。此外，我们将研究LTP是否是 只有由于感觉皮质的反复活动而产生的可塑性变化。 最后一个实验将通过传输重复脉冲来完成 慢性刺激感觉皮质，然后计数 位于运动皮质CC纤维终支的突触。这个 这些结果有望为运动学习和运动能力的研究开辟一个新的领域 包括灵长类在内的高等哺乳动物的记忆。

The ultimate purpose of the proposed study is to increase our understanding of how the motor cortex controls movement and subsequently to contribute toward the better treatment of human motor dysfunctions. The specific aims during the coming years are to explore the neuronal mechanisms underlying the motor learning in higher mammals. During the past grant period, we have discovered that tetanic stimulation of the sensory cortex produces long term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic potentials in the motor cortex in cats raising the possibility that this cortico-cortical (CC) input participates in motor learning and memory. During the coming years, following experiments will be carried out. The purpose of these experiments are to-examine 1) whether all CC input to and from the motor cortex produces LTP by delivering tetanic intracortical microstimulations to the motor cortex or other cortices projecting to the motor cortex, 2) whether this input actually participates in motor learning by training the monkey for a new motor skill with and without the projection area to the motor cortex. Then we will examine 3) whether all CC input in the cerebral cortex can produce LTP and 4) whether the pyramidal tract also produces LTP. Besides, we will examine 5) whether LTP is the only plastic change resulting from repeated activity of the sensory cortex. The last experiment will be done by delivering repetitive burst stimulations to the sensory cortex chronically and then counting the number of synapses at the terminal branches of CC fibers in the motor cortex. The results will hopefully open a new field for the study of motor learning and memory in higher mammals including the primate.