New locomotor regions of the brainstem revealed by means of electrical stimulation

The Mesencephalic Locomotor Region: Beyond Locomotor Control

The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) was discovered several decades ago in the cat. It was functionally defined based on the ability of low threshold electrical stimuli within a region comprising the cuneiform and pedunculopontine nucleus to evoke locomotion. Since then, similar regions have been found in diverse vertebrate species, including the lamprey, skate, rodent, pig, monkey, and human. The MLR, while often viewed under the lens of locomotion, is involved in diverse processes involving the autonomic nervous system, respiratory system, and the state-dependent activation of motor systems. This review will discuss the pedunculopontine nucleus and cuneiform nucleus that comprises the MLR and examine their respective connectomes from both an anatomical and functional angle. From a functional perspective, the MLR primes the cardiovascular and respiratory systems before the locomotor activity occurs. Inputs from a variety of higher structures, and direct outputs to the monoaminergic nuclei, allow the MLR to be able to respond appropriately to state-dependent locomotion. These state-dependent effects are roughly divided into escape and exploratory behavior, and the MLR also can reinforce the selection of these locomotor behaviors through projections to adjacent structures such as the periaqueductal gray or to limbic and cortical regions. Findings from the rat, mouse, pig, and cat will be discussed to highlight similarities and differences among diverse species.

The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus: from basic neuroscience to neurosurgical applications: arousal from slices to humans: implications for DBS

One element of the reticular activating system (RAS) is the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), which projects to the thalamus to trigger thalamocortical rhythms and the brainstem to modulate muscle tone and locomotion. The PPN is a posterior midbrain site known to induce locomotion in decerebrate animals when activated at 40-60 Hz, and has become a target for DBS in disorders involving gait deficits. We developed a research program using brainstem slices containing the PPN to study the cellular and molecular organization of this region. We showed that PPN neurons preferentially fire at gamma band frequency (30-60 Hz) when maximally activated, accounting for the effects of electrical stimulation. In addition, we developed the P13 midlatency auditory evoked potential, which is generated by PPN outputs, in freely moving rats. This allows the study of PPN cellular and molecular mechanisms in the whole animal. We also study the P50 midlatency auditory evoked potential, which is the human equivalent of the rodent P13 potential, allowing us to study PPN-related processes detected in vitro, confirmed in the whole animal, and tested in humans. Previous findings on the P50 potential in PD suggest that PPN output in this disorder is overactive. This translational research program led to the discovery of a novel mechanism of sleep-wake control based on electrical coupling, pointing the way to a number of new clinical applications in the development of novel stimulants (e.g., modafinil) and anesthetics. In addition, it provides methods for monitoring therapeutic efficacy of DBS in humans and animal models.

Localization, pharmacology, and organization of brain locomotor areas in larval lamprey

In larval lamprey, spinal locomotor activity can be initiated by pharmacological microstimulation from the following higher order brain locomotor areas [Paggett et al. (2004) Neuroscience 125:25-33; Jackson et al. (2007) J Neurophysiol 97:3229-3241]: rostrolateral rhombencephalon (RLR); ventromedial diencephalon (VMD); or dorsolateral mesencephalon (DLM). In the present study, pharmacological microstimulation with excitatory amino acids (EAAs) or their agonists in the brains of in vitro brain/spinal cord preparations was used to determine the sizes, pharmacology, and organization of these locomotor areas. First, the RLR, DLM and VMD locomotor areas were confined to relatively small areas of the brain, and stimulation as little as 50 μm outside these areas was ineffective or elicited tonic or uncoordinated motor activity. Second, pharmacological stimulation with NMDA, kainate, or AMPA in the VMD or DLM reliably initiated well-coordinated spinal locomotor activity. In the RLR, stimulation with all three ionotropic EAA receptor agonists could initiate spinal locomotor activity, but NMDA or AMPA was more reliable than kainate. Third, with synaptic transmission blocked only in the brain, stimulation in the RLR, VMD, or DLM no longer initiated spinal locomotor activity, suggesting that these locomotor areas do not directly activate spinal locomotor networks. Fourth, following a complete transection at the mesencephalon-rhombencephalon border, stimulation in the RLR no longer initiated spinal motor activity. Thus, the RLR locomotor area does not appear able to initiate spinal locomotor activity by neural circuits confined entirely within the rhombencephalon but requires more rostral neural centers, such as those in the VMD and DLM, as previously proposed [Paggett et al. (2004) Neuroscience 125:25-33].

Movements and muscle activity initiated by brain locomotor areas in semi-intact preparations from larval lamprey

In in vitro brain/spinal cord preparations from larval lamprey, locomotor-like ventral root burst activity can be initiated by pharmacological (i.e., "chemical") microstimulation in several brain areas: rostrolateral rhombencephalon (RLR); dorsolateral mesencephalon (DLM); ventromedial diencephalon (VMD); and reticular nuclei. However, the quality and symmetry of rhythmic movements that would result from this in vitro burst activity have not been investigated in detail. In the present study, pharmacological microstimulation was applied to the above brain locomotor areas in semi-intact preparations from larval lamprey. First, bilateral pharmacological microstimulation in the VMD, DLM, or RLR initiated symmetrical swimming movements and coordinated muscle burst activity that were virtually identical to those during free swimming in whole animals. Unilateral microstimulation in these brain areas usually elicited asymmetrical undulatory movements. Second, with synaptic transmission blocked in the brain, bilateral pharmacological microstimulation in parts of the anterior (ARRN), middle (MRRN), or posterior (PRRN) rhombencephalic reticular nucleus also initiated symmetrical swimming movements and muscle burst activity. Stimulation in effective sites in the ARRN or PRRN initiated higher-frequency locomotor movements than stimulation in effective sites in the MRRN. Unilateral stimulation in reticular nuclei elicited asymmetrical rhythmic undulations or uncoordinated movements. The present study is the first to demonstrate in the lamprey that stimulation in higher-order locomotor areas (RLR, VMD, DLM) or reticular nuclei initiates and sustains symmetrical, well-coordinated locomotor movements and muscle activity. Finally, bilateral stimulation was a more physiologically realistic test of the function of these brain areas than unilateral stimulation.

Dynamic sensorimotor interactions in locomotion

Locomotion results from intricate dynamic interactions between a central program and feedback mechanisms. The central program relies fundamentally on a genetically determined spinal circuitry (central pattern generator) capable of generating the basic locomotor pattern and on various descending pathways that can trigger, stop, and steer locomotion. The feedback originates from muscles and skin afferents as well as from special senses (vision, audition, vestibular) and dynamically adapts the locomotor pattern to the requirements of the environment. The dynamic interactions are ensured by modulating transmission in locomotor pathways in a state- and phase-dependent manner. For instance, proprioceptive inputs from extensors can, during stance, adjust the timing and amplitude of muscle activities of the limbs to the speed of locomotion but be silenced during the opposite phase of the cycle. Similarly, skin afferents participate predominantly in the correction of limb and foot placement during stance on uneven terrain, but skin stimuli can evoke different types of responses depending on when they occur within the step cycle. Similarly, stimulation of descending pathways may affect the locomotor pattern in only certain phases of the step cycle. Section ii reviews dynamic sensorimotor interactions mainly through spinal pathways. Section iii describes how similar sensory inputs from the spinal or supraspinal levels can modify locomotion through descending pathways. The sensorimotor interactions occur obviously at several levels of the nervous system. Section iv summarizes presynaptic, interneuronal, and motoneuronal mechanisms that are common at these various levels. Together these mechanisms contribute to the continuous dynamic adjustment of sensorimotor interactions, ensuring that the central program and feedback mechanisms are congruous during locomotion.

Organization of higher-order brain areas that initiate locomotor activity in larval lamprey

In the lamprey, spinal locomotor activity can be initiated by pharmacological microstimulation in several brain areas: rostrolateral rhombencephalon (RLR); dorsolateral mesencephalon (DLM); ventromedial diencephalon (VMD); and reticular nuclei. During DLM- or VMD-initiated locomotor activity in in vitro brain/spinal cord preparations, application of a solution that focally depressed neuronal activity in reticular nuclei often attenuated or abolished the locomotor rhythm. Electrical microstimulation in the DLM or VMD elicited synaptic responses in reticulospinal (RS) neurons, and close temporal stimulation in both areas evoked responses that summated and could elicit action potentials when neither input alone was sufficient. During RLR-initiated locomotor activity, focal application of a solution that depressed neuronal activity in the DLM or VMD abolished or attenuated the rhythm. These new results suggest that neurons in the RLR project rostrally to locomotor areas in the DLM and VMD. These latter areas then appear to project caudally to RS neurons, which probably integrate the synaptic inputs from both areas and activate the spinal locomotor networks. These pathways are likely to be important components of the brain neural networks for the initiation of locomotion and have parallels to locomotor command systems in higher vertebrates.

Afferent projections to the cholinergic pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus and adjacent midbrain extrapyramidal area in the albino rat. I. Retrograde tracing studies

The afferent connections of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) and the adjacent midbrain extrapyramidal area (MEA) were examined by retrograde tracing with wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). Major afferents to the PPT originate in the periaqueductal gray, central tegmental field, lateral hypothalamic area, dorsal raphe nucleus, superior colliculus, and pontine and medullary reticular fields. Other putative inputs originate in the paraventricular and preoptic hypothalamic nuclei, the zona incerta, nucleus of the solitary tract, central superior raphe nucleus, substantia innominata, posterior hypothalamic area, and thalamic parafascicular nucleus. The major afferent to the medially adjacent MEA originates in the lateral habenula, while other putative afferents include the perifornical and lateral hypothalamic area, periaqueductal gray, superior colliculus, pontine reticular formation, and dorsal raphe nucleus. MEA inputs from basal ganglia nuclei include moderate projections from the substantia nigra pars reticulata, entopeduncular nucleus, and a small projection from the globus pallidus, but not the subthalamic nucleus. Dense anterograde labeling was observed in the substantia nigra pars compacta, entopeduncular nucleus, subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus, and caudate-putamen only following WGA-HRP injections involving the MEA. The results of this study demonstrate that the PPT and MEA share many potential afferents. Remarkable differences were found that support distinguishing between these two nuclei in future studies regarding the functional organization of the midbrain and pons. The results, for example, confirm our previous observations that the largely reciprocal connections between the midbrain and basal ganglia distinguish the MEA from the PPT. Afferents from the lateral habenula and contralateral superior colliculus represent extensions of more traditional basal ganglion circuitry which further delineate the MEA from the PPT. The results are discussed with respect to the important role of the midbrain and pons in behavioral state control and locomotor mechanisms.

Identification of the midbrain locomotor region and its relation to descending locomotor pathways in the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina

The midbrain locomotor region (MLR) in the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina, was identified and characterized. Stimulation (50-100 microA, 60 Hz) of the midbrain in decerebrated, paralyzed animals was used to elicit locomotion monitored as alternating activity in nerves innervating an antagonist pair of elevator and depressor muscles. Effective sites for evoking locomotion in the midbrain included parts of several nuclei: the caudal portion of the interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus and the caudomedial parts of the cuneiform and subcuneiform nuclei. This region did not include the red nucleus, any parts of the optic tectum or the medial or lateral mesencephalic nuclei. Electrical stimulation in the MLR evokes locomotion in either the ipsi- or contralateral pectoral fin, whereas stimulation in the medullary reticular formation evokes locomotion only in the contralateral fin. Lesion experiments were performed to identify the location of descending pathways from the midbrain to the medullary reticular formation. To abolish locomotion evoked by electrical stimulation in the MLR, the medial reticular formation in the rostral medulla had to be lesioned bilaterally, or the ipsilateral medial medullary reticular formation and fibers projecting from the MLR to the contralateral midbrain had to be disrupted. Injections of HRP into the magnocellular/gigantocellular reticular formation confirmed that this area received bilateral projections from the MLR. The MLR of the Atlantic stingray appears to be similar to the lateral component of the mammalian MLR and to the MLR in other non-mammalian vertebrates.

Posterior midbrain-induced locomotion

The purpose of this study was to determine the nature of the neurochemical signals which impinge on the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) to produce locomotion in the rat. Injections of GABA antagonists into NADPH diaphorase-positive regions (PPN) were found to induce locomotion for short episodes (5-30 sec) which were repeated for several minutes (1-40 min). Such activity was blocked by injections of GABA and the GABA agonist, muscimol. Locomotion was induced by injection of substance P (SP), which also produced short, repeated episodes of locomotion. The more potent excitatory amino acid agonist, n-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA), however, did produce dose-dependent, long-lasting (20 sec-5 min) locomotor episodes which were repeated over prolonged periods at the higher concentrations used (2-24 min). Additional injections of NMDA could drive stepping from a walk to a trot to a gallop. The effects of NMDA were blocked by injections of the excitatory amino acid antagonist, aminophosphonovalerionic acid (APV) (1-10 mM). Preliminary evidence suggests that carbachol (10-50 mM), a cholinergic agonist, inhibits NMDA-induced increases in muscle tone and episodes of stepping. The effect of carbachol was blocked by the cholinergic antagonist, atropine.

Afferent and efferent connections of brainstem locomotor regions: study by means of horseradish peroxidase transport technique

Afferent and efferent connections of the hypothalamic and mesencephalic locomotor regions and also the bulbar locomotor strip were studied in cat using retrograde (horseradish peroxidase) transport technique. To study the sources of afferent projections, the enzyme microinjections were performed exactly into the same brain sites eliciting treadmill locomotion by means of electrical stimulation. When studying efferent projections horseradish peroxidase labeled neurons were revealed within locomotor regions after enzyme microinjections into different brain structures. Experimental data have shown that the hypothalamic and mesencephalic locomotor regions have mutual afferent and efferent projections with numerous brain areas including interconnections. Apart from the entopeduncular nucleus, the great number of different sensory nuclei are noted: among the sources of afferent projections are the nucleus tractus spinalis nervi trigemini, nucleus cuneatus, nucleus tractus solitarius and vestibular nuclei. In addition, after horseradish peroxidase injection into the mesencephalic locomotor region labeled neurons were found in the cochlear nuclei. Direct descending neuronal projections of the hypothalamic and mesencephalic locomotor regions are distributed mainly in the ipsilateral brainstem. Only a few of them reach the lumbar spinal cord. The most marked efferent projections of given regions are those to the brainstem reticular formation. After horseradish peroxidase injection into a functionally identified bulbar locomotor strip, labeled neurons were revealed in different stem regions mainly caudal to the enzyme injection site. The existence of a locomotor strip as an independent structural formation is called into question. When studying the locomotor region connections, the structural heterogeneity of these regions is revealed. Transitory fibers of ascending tracts are presumably within their limits side by side with neurons. The role of these fibers in stepping initiation by electrical stimulation of locomotor regions remains uncertain.