Processing information related to centrally initiated locomotor and voluntary movements by feline spinocerebellar neurones

Non-technical summary For the correct execution of centrally initiated movements, it is vital that the cerebellum receives continuous feedback from the spinal cord. We recently demonstrated that a population of spinocerebellar neurones provides the cerebellum with feedback on the likely outcome of descending commands relayed via reticulospinal neurones. We now demonstrate that the same spinocerebellar neurones provide information on the likely outcome of commands from the corticospinal tract (pyramidal tract) neurones as well as from the mesencephalic locomotor region. The results indicate that both voluntary motor actions and those related to locomotion are relayed by reticulospinal neurones and are monitored by the same population of spinocerebellar neurons, which may thereby provide the brain with information necessary for avoiding errors in issuing movements.