Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

513
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
513
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

2.2K
The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and...
2.2K
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

55.4K
Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
55.4K
Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

1.3K
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
1.3K
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay01:27

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

1.7K
The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is  a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological...
1.7K
Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

2.9K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
2.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sensory Circuit Dynamics in a Mouse Model of Epileptic Encephalopathy.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

[A case report of right sinonasal carcinosarcoma and literature review].

Lin chuang er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery·2025
Same author

Comparisons on the evaluation methods of chlorine resistance fungi in drinking water.

Environmental research·2025
Same author

Association between tooth loss and geriatric syndromes in older adults: a cohort study from a rural area in eastern China.

Aging clinical and experimental research·2025
Same author

Effects of growth years on the quality of cultivated <i>Bupleurum scorzonerifolium</i> roots, with wild <i>Bupleurum scorzonerifolium</i> roots as a reference.

Frontiers in plant science·2025
Same author

Exploring the direct influence of growth hormone on adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma cells.

Tissue & cell·2025
Same journal

Somatosensory cortex shapes perceptual decision bias via the superior colliculus.

Research square·2026
Same journal

Combinatorial Targeting of Avapritinib-Driven MAP Kinase Activation in High-Grade Glioma.

Research square·2026
Same journal

Supporting Implementation of the National Standards for Cancer Survivorship Care: Development of the Cancer Survivorship Maturity Model (CSMM).

Research square·2026
Same journal

Operationalizing a walking exercise prescription based on 6-minute walk test results.

Research square·2026
Same journal

Age but not sex modifies lymphoid immune responses in murine sepsis.

Research square·2026
Same journal

Indirect effect, through aspects of neighborhood affluence and racial/ethnic composition, of receiving a Section 8 voucher on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among boys and girls in the Moving to Opportunity study.

Research square·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 31, 2025

A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments
09:43

A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments

Published on: April 15, 2014

10.6K

Persistence is driven by a prefrontal motor circuit.

Yihan Wang1,2, Qian-Quan Sun1,2,3,4

  • 1Graduate Neuroscience Program, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY82071, USA.

Research Square
|May 3, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Persistence in movement is initiated early and sustained, independent of stimulus judgment. Dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) motor cortex projecting (MP) neurons drive this persistent action, revealing a key neural mechanism for survival behaviors.

More Related Videos

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
09:48

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

10.0K
Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
09:29

Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Published on: January 9, 2015

15.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 31, 2025

A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments
09:43

A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments

Published on: April 15, 2014

10.6K
Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
09:48

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

10.0K
Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
09:29

Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Published on: January 9, 2015

15.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Biology
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Persistence is vital for survival, enabling actions like predator avoidance and energy storage.
  • The neural basis for how the brain initiates and sustains persistent movements remains largely unknown.

Approach:

  • Investigated the temporal dynamics of persistent movement phases (initial vs. terminal).
  • Identified dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) motor cortex projecting (MP) neurons encoding movement persistence.
  • Utilized neuronal inactivation and a computational model to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms.

Key Points:

  • Movement persistence is determined during the initial phase and sustained until terminal signaling.
  • Neural coding for persistent movement phases is independent of external stimulus valence.
  • dmPFC MP neurons encode the initial phase of persistent movement, not its valence.
  • Inactivating dmPFC MP neurons disrupts persistence initiation and reduces activity in associated brain regions.

Conclusions:

  • A specific neural circuit involving dmPFC MP neurons mediates the initiation and maintenance of persistent movements.
  • Successive sensory stimuli act as triggers for initiating persistent movements via an MP network.
  • This study reveals a fundamental neural mechanism for transitioning from a neutral to a persistent motor state.