Central pattern generator

Context (archaeology)

Parkinson's disease

Neuroscience

Biology

Receptor

Brainstem

Biochemistry

Computer science

Acoustics

Physiology

Paleontology

Gait

Physics

Pedunculopontine nucleus

Central nervous system

Midbrain

Glutamate receptor

Rhythm

Medicine

Glutamatergic

Disease

Deep brain stimulation

Pathology

Nature

Locomotion is a fundamental motor function common to the animal kingdom. It is implemented episodically and adapted to behavioural needs, including exploration, which requires slow locomotion, and escape behaviour, which necessitates faster speeds. The control of these functions originates in brainstem structures, although the neuronal substrate(s) that support them have not yet been elucidated. Here we show in mice that speed and gait selection are controlled by glutamatergic excitatory neurons (GlutNs) segregated in two distinct midbrain nuclei: the cuneiform nucleus (CnF) and the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). GlutNs in both of these regions contribute to the control of slower, alternating-gait locomotion, whereas only GlutNs in the CnF are able to elicit high-speed, synchronous-gait locomotion. Additionally, both the activation dynamics and the input and output connectivity matrices of GlutNs in the PPN and the CnF support explorative and escape locomotion, respectively. Our results identify two regions in the midbrain that act in conjunction to select context-dependent locomotor behaviours.

Midbrain circuits that set locomotor speed and gait selection