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Zona incerta distributes a broad movement signal that modulates behavior
Sebastian Hormigo1, Ji Zhou1, Dorian Chabbert1
1Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, United States.
Elife
|December 4, 2023
Summary
The zona incerta, a brain nucleus, generates signals for movement occurrence during exploration and goal-directed actions. These GABAergic neurons modulate behavior without significantly impacting performance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Subthalamic Nucleus Research
Background:
- The zona incerta (ZI) is a subthalamic nucleus with extensive connections, hypothesized to integrate sensory information and motor control.
- Its precise role in guiding behavior remains unclear due to limited studies in behaving animals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the activity of ZI neurons during exploratory and goal-directed behaviors.
- To elucidate the function of ZI GABAergic neurons in motor control and behavioral modulation.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiology in head-fixed mice on a spherical treadmill.
- Fiber photometry in freely moving mice.
- Genetically targeted lesions and optogenetic manipulations of ZI GABAergic neurons.
Main Results:
- Two distinct neuronal populations in the ZI were identified based on movement sensitivity.
- ZI GABAergic neurons strongly encode the occurrence, but not the direction, of exploratory and goal-directed movements.
- Lesions and optogenetic manipulation of ZI GABAergic neurons modulated movement but minimally affected overall behavioral performance.
Conclusions:
- The zona incerta plays a role in modulating movement-associated activity during goal-directed behaviors.
- ZI GABAergic neurons provide a corollary signal of movement occurrence to downstream areas, regulating behavior.
