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Cerebellar lesions and prism adaptation in macaque monkeys
J S Baizer1, I Kralj-Hans, M Glickstein
1Department of Physiology, SUNY, Buffalo, New York 14214, USA.
Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 14, 1999
Summary
Macaque monkeys adapt to prism-induced visual displacement, showing a postadaptation shift. Cerebellar lesions affecting visual pathways disrupted this adaptation in one monkey, suggesting the cerebellum
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cerebellar Function
Background:
- Prism adaptation is a model for sensorimotor adaptation.
- Macaque monkeys exhibit prism adaptation similar to humans.
- The cerebellum's role in motor learning and adaptation is well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the cerebellar cortex in prism adaptation in Macaque monkeys.
- To identify specific cerebellar regions critical for short-term motor memory during adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Five Macaque monkeys were trained and tested for prism adaptation.
- Lesions were made in specific cerebellar cortical areas.
- Behavioral testing assessed adaptation and postadaptation shifts before and after lesions.
Main Results:
- All monkeys showed normal prism adaptation and postadaptation shifts initially.
- A lesion including the dorsal paraflocculus and uvula abolished prism adaptation in one monkey.
- Other cerebellar lesions, including anterior lobe and oculomotor regions, did not impair prism adaptation.
Conclusions:
- The cerebellum, particularly regions receiving visual mossy-fiber input, is critical for prism adaptation.
- Specific cerebellar areas may serve as a site for short-term motor memory.
- Prism adaptation involves visual error signals and corollary discharge.