Journal
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
Volume 28, Issue 28, Pages 7209-7218Publisher
SOC NEUROSCIENCE
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0487-08.2008
Keywords
subthalamic nucleus; basal ganglia; monkeys; saccades; habitual action; conscious control
Categories
Funding
- Intramural NIH HHS [Z01 EY000415-05] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) of the basal ganglia is an important element of motor control. This is demonstrated by involuntary movements induced by STN lesions and the successful treatment of Parkinson's disease by STN stimulation. However, it is still unclear how individual STN neurons participate in motor control. Here, we report that the STN has a function in switching from automatic to volitionally controlled eye movement. In the STN of trained macaque monkeys, we found neurons that showed a phasic change in activity specifically before volitionally controlled saccades which were switched from automatic saccades. A majority of switch-related neurons were considered to inhibit no-longer-valid automatic processes, and the inhibition started early enough to enable the animal to switch. We suggest that the STN mediates the control signal originated from the medial frontal cortex and implements the behavioral switching function using its connections with other basal ganglia nuclei and the superior colliculus.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available