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Human Brain. Introduction. Mechanisms of control of behavior Reflex Involuntary Voluntary Understanding from analysis of neural diseases. spinal cord. (and analogous brainstem) dorsal root ventral root. Motor neurons. each a motoneuron innervates part of muscle Size principle.
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Introduction • Mechanisms of control of behavior • Reflex • Involuntary • Voluntary • Understanding from analysis of neural diseases
spinal cord • (and analogous brainstem) • dorsal root • ventral root
Motor neurons • each a motoneuron innervates part of muscle • Size principle
Resistance reflex • excitatory loop from muscle spindle
Feedback from • muscle spindle • intrafusal muscle fiber, motoneuron • measures length • +ve loop to contracting muscle • golgi tendon organ • in series • measures load • counteracts fatigue
Summary so far • Reflex control of muscles • feedback and feedforward control • motoneurons in spinal cord (and analogous brainstem) • each a motoneuron innervates part of muscle • size principle
Motoneuron disease • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis • a motoneurons die • in 10-15%cases inherited, • chromosome 21 • superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene • 20% of cases • 120 mutations known
ALS treatment: none > 22% longer survival in mice
Descending control of motoneurons • feedback and feedforward control • ff = anticipation • primary motor cortex • somatotopic map • neurons project to groups of muscles for coordinated act
Primary motor cortex • stimulation gives movement • fire before voluntary movement
Role of brainstem nuclei • Major pathway in voluntary movements • starts in association cortex • caudate and putamen • input from substantia nigra • globus pallidus • thalamus • ends in motor cortex
Schematic circuit • from association (neocortex) to motor cortex
Huntington’s disease • symptoms: faster jerky movements • gene for protein huntingtin (Htt) on chromosome 4 • mutates to include CAG (glutamine) repeats • gene repeats increase easily • Htt may disrupt synaptic transmission
Neural circuit • caudate neurons [GABA] degenerate, • less inhibition of thalamus • increased excitation of cortex • more movement
Parkinson’s disease • symptoms: hard to initiate and maintain movements (bradykinesia) • death of dopaminergic substantia nigra neurons • dying cells have Lewy bodies, • made up of neurofilaments • ubiquitin immunoreactivity
Lewy bodies • Immunoreactive to • a-synuclein • ubiquitin • a-synuclein may be misfolded • Adding ubiquitin to lys marks protein for degradation via proteasome
Parkinson’s disease • mimic with MPTP • 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropiridine • metabolise to MPP+ • 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium • Causes ? • oxidative stress • glutamate toxicity • Parkin - fault in ubiquitination
Changes to circuit • more tonic inhibition of thalamus • decreased excitation of cortex
Therapy for Parkinson’s disease • L-DOPA • MAO-B inhibitors (selegiline = deprenyl) • cell replacement • fetal cells • stem cells • deep brain stimulation
Parkinson’s summary • death of dopaminergic substantia nigra neurons • hard to initiate and maintain movements (bradykinesia) • more tonic inhibition of thalamus • decreased excitation of cortex • mimic with MPTP (metabolise to MPP+) • dopaminergic therapy • cells protected by Parkin
Summary so far • Role of basal ganglia is to combine with cortex to produce movement • Next: role of cerebellum
Cell types • Purkinje cell • only output
Circuit • mossy fibers activate parallel fibers • climbing fibers • Purkinje cells compare signals during movement with expected
Cerebellum • Purkinje cell (only output) • mossy fibers activate parallel fibers • climbing fibers • Purkinje cells input synapses compare signals during movement with expected • motor learning much reduced if cerebellum removed
Neural basis of reward • Olds & Miller 1954 • electrical self-stimulation
Motivated movement • reinforcers + or - • dopaminergic neurons in • ventral tegmental area project to • nucleus accumbens • [and amygdala, DA & delusions]
Role of dopaminergic neurons human • ventral tegmental area project to • nucleus accumbens • fire during • feeding, • drinking • sex rat
VTA pathway Dopaminergic A10 cell
Motivated movement II • amphetamine (blocker of DA uptake) enhances reinforcement • reinforcement reduced by 6-OH DA or surgical lesions • electrical stimulation of VTA axons (ICSS) reinforces
Addictive behaviour • tolerance to drugs • dependence • normal mechanisms of learning “malfunctioning”
Addiction • cocaine down regulates DA receptors in nucleus accumbens • opioid [heroin] and ethanol activate neurons presynaptic to VTA • cannabis - modulates GABA inputs to NAC
Conclusion • multiple mechanisms of control • integration not yet well understood
Summary of Lecture • Reflex control of muscles • Descending control of motoneurons • Role of brainstem nuclei in voluntary movement • Motivated movement and nucleus accumbens • Addictive behaviour