Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025

Stereotaxic Surgical Approach to Microinject the Caudal Brainstem and Upper Cervical Spinal Cord via the Cisterna Magna in Mice
Published on: January 21, 2022
Dissecting Brainstem Locomotor Circuits: Converging Evidence for Cuneiform Nucleus Stimulation
Stephano J Chang1,2,3, Iahn Cajigas2,4, Ioan Opris2
1Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States.
Abstract:
There are a pressing and unmet need for effective therapies for freezing of gait (FOG) and other neurological gait disorders. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of a midbrain target known as the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) was proposed as a potential treatment based on its postulated involvement in locomotor control as part of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). However, DBS trials fell short of expectations, leading many clinicians to abandon this strategy. Here, we discuss the potential reasons for this failure and review recent clinical data along with preclinical optogenetics evidence to argue that another nearby nucleus, the cuneiform nucleus (CnF), may be a superior target.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Brainstem
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
Brainstem: Control Centers of Medulla
Olivary Nucleus
The olivary nucleus, or inferior olivary nucleus, is located within the ventrolateral part of the medulla oblongata. It is primarily involved in motor coordination and motor learning. The olivary nucleus receives input from the spinal cord, cerebellum, and motor...
Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions
Cerebellar Structure
Externally, the cerebellum features a highly convoluted surface with numerous folia (narrow ridges) separated by shallow sulci (grooves). The cerebellum is divided into two hemispheres by a thin median structure known as the vermis. The...
Indirect Motor Pathways
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

