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Sugawara SK, Nishimura Y. The Mesocortical System Encodes the Strength of Subsequent Force Generation. Neurosci Insights 2024; 19:26331055241256948. [PMID: 38827248 PMCID: PMC11141215 DOI: 10.1177/26331055241256948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Our minds impact motor outputs. Such mind-motor interactions are critical for understanding motor control mechanisms and optimizing motor performance. In particular, incentive motivation strongly enhances motor performance. Dopaminergic neurons located in the ventral midbrain (VM) are believed to be the center of incentive motivation. Direct projections from the VM to the primary motor cortex constitute a mesocortical pathway. However, the functional role of this pathway in humans remains unclear. Recently, we demonstrated the functional role of the mesocortical pathway in human motor control in the context of incentive motivation by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Incentive motivation remarkably improved not only reaction times but also the peak grip force in subsequent grip responses. Although the reaction time has been used as a proxy for incentive motivation mediated by dopaminergic midbrain activity, the premovement activity of the mesocortical pathway is involved in controlling the force strength rather than the initiation of subsequent force generation. In this commentary, we review our recent findings and discuss remaining questions regarding the functional role of the mesocortical pathway in mind-motor interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho K Sugawara
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Nishimura
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
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Sugawara SK, Yamamoto T, Nakayama Y, Hamano YH, Fukunaga M, Sadato N, Nishimura Y. Premovement activity in the mesocortical system links peak force but not initiation of force generation under incentive motivation. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11408-11419. [PMID: 37814358 PMCID: PMC10690858 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Motivation facilitates motor performance; however, the neural substrates of the psychological effects on motor performance remain unclear. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment while human subjects performed a ready-set-go task with monetary incentives. Although subjects were only motivated to respond quickly, increasing the incentives improved not only reaction time but also peak grip force. However, the trial-by-trial correlation between reaction time and peak grip force was weak. Extensive areas in the mesocortical system, including the ventral midbrain (VM) and cortical motor-related areas, exhibited motivation-dependent activity in the premovement "Ready" period when the anticipated monetary reward was displayed. This premovement activity in the mesocortical system correlated only with subsequent peak grip force, whereas the activity in motor-related areas alone was associated with subsequent reaction time and peak grip force. These findings suggest that the mesocortical system linking the VM and motor-related regions plays a role in controlling the peak of force generation indirectly associated with incentives but not the initiation of force generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho K Sugawara
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Kanagawa 340-0193, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yamamoto
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Nakayama
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Yuki H Hamano
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Masaki Fukunaga
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Kanagawa 340-0193, Japan
| | - Norihiro Sadato
- Section of Brain Function Information, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Kanagawa 340-0193, Japan
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Yukio Nishimura
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
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Koyama Y. The role of orexinergic system in the regulation of cataplexy. Peptides 2023; 169:171080. [PMID: 37598758 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Loss of orexin/hypocretin causes serious sleep disorder; narcolepsy. Cataplexy is the most striking symptom of narcolepsy, characterized by abrupt muscle paralysis induced by emotional stimuli, and has been considered pathological activation of REM sleep atonia system. Clinical treatments for cataplexy/narcolepsy and early pharmacological studies in narcoleptic dogs tell us about the involvement of monoaminergic and cholinergic systems in the control of cataplexy/narcolepsy. Muscle atonia may be induced by activation of REM sleep-atonia generating system in the brainstem. Emotional stimuli may be processed in the limbic systems including the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex. It is now considered that orexin/hypocretin prevents cataplexy by modulating the activity of different points of cataplexy-inducing circuit, including monoaminergic/cholinergic systems, muscle atonia-generating systems, and emotion-related systems. This review will describe the recent advances in understanding the neural mechanisms controlling cataplexy, with a focus on the involvement of orexin/hypocretin system, and will discuss future experimental strategies that will lead to further understanding and treatment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimasa Koyama
- Faculty of Symbiotic Systems Science, Fukushima University, 1 Kanaya-gawa, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan..
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Suzuki M, Nishimura Y. The ventral striatum contributes to the activity of the motor cortex and motor outputs in monkeys. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:979272. [PMID: 36211590 PMCID: PMC9540202 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.979272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral striatum (VSt) is thought to be involved in the vigor of motivated behavior and is suggested to be a limbic-motor interface between limbic areas involved in motivational processes and neural circuits regulating behavioral outputs. However, there is little direct evidence demonstrating the involvement of the VSt in motor control for motivated behaviors. To clarify the functional role of the VSt in motor control, we investigated the effect of reversible pharmacological inactivation of the VSt on the oscillatory activity of the sensorimotor cortices and motor outputs in two macaque monkeys. VSt inactivation reduced movement-related activities of the primary motor cortex and premotor area at 15–120 Hz and increased those at 5–7 Hz. These changes were accompanied by reduced torque outputs but had no effect on the correct performance rate. The present study provides direct evidence that the VSt regulates activities of the motor cortices and motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiaki Suzuki
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of Developmental Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Japan
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Nishimura
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of Developmental Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Japan
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yukio Nishimura
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