Biomaterial Database

Encoding of smooth-pursuit eye movement initiation by a population of vermal Purkinje cells. 2012

Suryadeep Dash, and Nicolas Catz, and Peter W Dicke, and Peter Thier

Department of Cognitive Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.

Lesion studies suggest that the oculomotor vermis (OMV) is critical for the initiation of smooth-pursuit eye movements (SPEMs); yet, its specific role has remained elusive. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that vermal Purkinje cells (PCs) may be needed to fine-tune the kinematic description of SPEM initiation. Recording from identified PCs from the monkey OMV, we observed that SPEM-related PCs were characterized by a formidable diversity of response profiles with typically only modest reflection of eye movement kinematics. In contrast, the PC population discharge could be perfectly predicted based on a linear combination of eye acceleration, velocity, and position. This finding is in full accord with a role of the OMV in shaping eye movement kinematics. It, moreover, supports the notion that this shaping action is based on a population code, whose anatomic basis is the convergence of PCs on target neurons in the cerebellar nuclei.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008253	Macaca mulatta	A species of the genus MACACA inhabiting India, China, and other parts of Asia. The species is used extensively in biomedical research and adapts very well to living with humans.	Chinese Rhesus Macaques,Macaca mulatta lasiota,Monkey, Rhesus,Rhesus Monkey,Rhesus Macaque,Chinese Rhesus Macaque,Macaca mulatta lasiotas,Macaque, Rhesus,Rhesus Macaque, Chinese,Rhesus Macaques,Rhesus Macaques, Chinese,Rhesus Monkeys
D008297	Male		Males
D011689	Purkinje Cells	The output neurons of the cerebellar cortex.	Purkinje Cell,Purkinje Neuron,Purkyne Cell,Cell, Purkinje,Cell, Purkyne,Cells, Purkinje,Cells, Purkyne,Neuron, Purkinje,Neurons, Purkinje,Purkinje Neurons,Purkyne Cells
D011698	Pursuit, Smooth	Eye movements that are slow, continuous, and conjugate and occur when a fixed object is moved slowly.	Pursuits, Smooth,Smooth Pursuit,Smooth Pursuits
D011930	Reaction Time	The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed.	Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D002531	Cerebellum	The part of brain that lies behind the BRAIN STEM in the posterior base of skull (CRANIAL FOSSA, POSTERIOR). It is also known as the "little brain" with convolutions similar to those of CEREBRAL CORTEX, inner white matter, and deep cerebellar nuclei. Its function is to coordinate voluntary movements, maintain balance, and learn motor skills.	Cerebella,Corpus Cerebelli,Parencephalon,Cerebellums,Parencephalons
D003216	Conditioning, Operant	Learning situations in which the sequence responses of the subject are instrumental in producing reinforcement. When the correct response occurs, which involves the selection from among a repertoire of responses, the subject is immediately reinforced.	Instrumental Learning,Learning, Instrumental,Operant Conditioning,Conditionings, Operant,Instrumental Learnings,Learnings, Instrumental,Operant Conditionings
D000200	Action Potentials	Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli.	Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001696	Biomechanical Phenomena	The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces.	Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic