Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Baruch Haimson, Oren Meir, Reut Sudakevitz-Merzbach, Gerard Elberg, Samantha Friedrich, Peter Lovell, Sonia Paixao, Ruediger Klein, Claudio Mello, Avihu Klar
Summary: Flight in birds evolved through wing patterning from forelimbs and transition from alternating gait to synchronous flapping. In mammals, the ephrin-B3 protein guides wiring for limb alternation, with its deletion leading to synchronous hopping gait. The avian ephrin-B3 protein lacks certain motifs found in vertebrates, reducing its affinity for the EphA4 receptor and influencing the development of the brachial spinal cord circuitry.
Article
Neurosciences
Deeptha Vasudevan, Yen-Chyi Liu, Joshua P. Barrios, Maya K. Wheeler, Adam D. Douglass, Richard Dorsky
Summary: Zebrafish are able to recover swimming behavior even after complete spinal cord transection, and the regenerated interneurons have the ability to integrate into existing locomotor circuitry.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Li-Ju Hsu, Maelle Bertho, Ole Kiehn
Summary: This study investigates how locomotor commands are transmitted between the brain and spinal cord in mammals. The findings reveal that specific brainstem areas contain neurons that directly initiate locomotion in the spinal cord. Using calcium imaging, the study also visualizes the transformation of this command into rhythmic locomotor activity through glutamatergic modules in the spinal cord.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jessica Ausborn, Natalia A. Shevtsova, Simon M. Danner
Summary: Neuronal circuits in the spinal cord play a crucial role in controlling locomotion, integrating supraspinal commands and afferent feedback signals. Computational modeling has complemented experimental studies by providing mechanistic rationales and testable predictions, leading to fundamental insights. With recent advances in molecular and genetic methods, manipulating specific elements of the spinal circuitry has become possible, allowing for investigations into mechanisms at the level of genetically defined neuronal populations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ludwig Ruder, Riccardo Schina, Harsh Kanodia, Sara Valencia-Garcia, Chiara Pivetta, Silvia Arber
Summary: The brainstem plays a key role in controlling body movements, especially skilled forelimb movements. By studying latRM populations, researchers have found that neuronal tuning in this region can affect forelimb actions, with excitatory latRM neurons influencing recruitment of brainstem and spinal cord circuits in different ways. Additionally, optogenetic stimulation of projection-stratified latRM populations can elicit diverse forelimb movements.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Zheng Ao, Hongwei Cai, Zhuhao Wu, Jonathan Krzesniak, Chunhui Tian, Yvonne Y. Lai, Ken Mackie, Feng Guo
Summary: The study introduces a human spinal organoid-on-a-chip device for modeling the biology and electrophysiology of human nociceptive neurons and dorsal horn interneurons. The device allows for testing nociceptive modulators and is cost-efficient, scalable, and easy to use. By integrating human sensory-spinal-cord organoids, the method shows promise for screening and validating novel therapeutics for human pain medicine discovery.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Ana Belen Iglesias Gonzalez, Jon E. T. Jakobsson, Jennifer Vieillard, Malin C. Lagerstrom, Klas Kullander, Henrik Boije
Summary: The analysis of Dmrt3 neurons in the spinal locomotor network from zebrafish and mice has revealed different subtypes and uncovered a molecular code underlying their subfunctionalization. Differences in birth order, differential expression of axon guidance genes, neurotransmitters, their receptors, and genes affecting electrophysiological properties are factors contributing to the diversity of these neurons. Additionally, the comparison between fish and mice populations offers insights into evolutionary-driven subspecialization with the emergence of limbed locomotion.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Michael Jay, Malcolm A. MacIver, David L. McLean
Summary: This study investigates how spinal circuits contribute to direction control during ongoing locomotion in larval zebrafish. The results show that directed swimming involves changes in motor output duration and increased recruitment of motor neurons, without affecting the timing of spiking along the body. The study also reveals different recruitment patterns in excitatory and inhibitory interneurons, supporting the modular control of steering and propulsion by spinal premotor circuits.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David A. Gascoigne, Natalya A. Serdyukova, Daniil P. Aksenov
Summary: Studies have shown that neonatal anesthesia can have significant effects on neurodevelopment, leading to learning and behavioral deficits. The damage to the GABAergic system, particularly in terms of excitatory-inhibitory balance and neurovascular coupling, is a key factor contributing to these deficits, which may not become fully evident until years after exposure. Various in vivo methods have been proposed to better understand and record these delayed effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Bowen Hou, Sabato Santaniello, Anastasios V. Tzingounis
Summary: Loss of KCNQ2 channels from interneurons increases the network excitability of the immature GABAergic circuits, with increased excitatory transmission and decreased GABAergic transmission.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Han Zhang, Natalia A. Shevtsova, Dylan Deska-Gauthier, Colin Mackay, Kimberly J. Dougherty, Simon M. Danner, Ying Zhang, Ilya A. Rybak
Summary: This study highlights the role of V3 neurons in interlimb coordination. Through experimental results and modeling, the importance of V3 neurons in the spinal cord, especially for gait synchronization, is emphasized.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Henrik Linden, Peter C. Petersen, Mikkel Vestergaard, Rune W. Berg
Summary: The study reveals that neurons in the lumbar spinal cord perform a low-dimensional 'rotation' in neural space during rhythmic movements, rather than exhibiting alternating activity. This rotation correlates with muscle force and perturbation of the trajectory can modify motor behavior.
Article
Biology
Baruch Haimson, Yoav Hadas, Nimrod Bernat, Artur Kania, Monica A. Daley, Yuval Cinnamon, Aharon Lev-Tov, Avihu Klar
Summary: Peripheral and intraspinal feedback are crucial for shaping and updating spinal networks that control motor behavior. dI2 spinal interneurons in chicks receive synaptic input from afferents and premotor neurons, and are involved in local spinal circuits and lumbo-brachial coupling. Silencing these neurons results in destabilized stepping and wide-base walking gait in hatchlings, indicating their contribution to bipedal gait stabilization.
Article
Biology
Remi Ronzano, Sophie Skarlatou, Bianca K. Barriga, B. Anne Bannatyne, Gardave Singh Bhumbra, Joshua D. Foster, Jeffrey D. Moore, Camille Lancelin, Amanda M. Pocratsky, Mustafa Goerkem Ozyurt, Calvin Chad Smith, Andrew J. Todd, David J. Maxwell, Andrew J. Murray, Samuel L. Pfaff, Robert M. Brownstone, Niccolo Zampieri, Marco Beato
Summary: In this study, multiple viral-tracing methods were used to investigate the organization of premotor interneurons contacting motor pools controlling flexion and extension of the ankle. Contrary to expectations, it was found that these premotor interneurons are highly intermingled with motor neurons, suggesting the absence of clear spatial patterns in the processing of motor instructions.
Article
Biology
Remi Ronzano, Camille Lancelin, Gardave Singh Bhumbra, Robert M. Brownstone, Marco Beato
Summary: The study reveals that premotor neurons in the spinal cord have divergent projections to synergist or antagonist muscle MNs, indicating coordination of activity across multiple motor pools. Additionally, spinal neurons mediating co-contraction of antagonist muscles were identified, shedding light on the potential mechanisms behind muscle coordination and potential implications for neurological diseases like dystonia.
Article
Neurosciences
Adam J. Schultz, Travis M. Rotterman, Anirudh Dwarakanath, Francisco J. Alvarez
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2017)
Article
Cell Biology
Jeannine M. C. Gregoriades, Aaron Madaris, Francisco J. Alvarez, Francisco J. Alvarez-Leefmans
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2019)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Francisco J. Alvarez
Article
Neurosciences
Travis M. Rotterman, Erica T. Akhter, Alicia R. Lane, Kathryn P. MacPherson, Violet V. Garcia, Malu G. Tansey, Francisco J. Alvarez
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Francisco J. Alvarez
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David J. Titus, Timothy Johnstone, Nathan H. Johnson, Sidney H. London, Meghana Chapalamadugu, Derk Hogenkamp, Kelvin W. Gee, Coleen M. Atkins
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Travis M. Rotterman, Francisco J. Alvarez
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Review
Neurosciences
Francisco J. Alvarez, Travis M. Rotterman, Erica T. Akhter, Alicia R. Lane, Arthur W. English, Timothy C. Cope
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alicia R. Lane, Indeara C. Cogdell, Thomas M. Jessell, Jay B. Bikoff, Francisco J. Alvarez
Summary: Researchers have developed genetic models for timed manipulation of Renshaw cells (RCs) by leveraging the temporal regulation of Calbindin expression in RCs, and increased cellular and timing specificity by combining with other conditional genes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Tana S. Pottorf, Travis M. Rotterman, William M. McCallum, Zoe A. Haley-Johnson, Francisco J. Alvarez
Summary: Peripheral nerve injuries trigger immune reactions in the spinal cord which are mainly governed by microglia activation. The mechanisms of microglial activation and response vary depending on the location, type, severity, and proximity of the injury, as well as the age and species of the organism. Recent advancements in neuro-immune research techniques have provided insights into the mechanisms of microglial activation and their function in injured motoneurons and sensory afferents. This review provides a comparative analysis of the dorsal and ventral horns regarding microglial activation mechanisms and their functionality in neuroprotection, degeneration, regeneration, synaptic plasticity, and spinal circuit reorganization following peripheral nerve injury, aiming to address unsettled controversies on the diversity of spinal microglial-neuronal interactions.
Article
Neurosciences
Ariadna Arbat-Plana, Sara Bolivar, Xavier Navarro, Esther Udina, Francisco J. Alvarez
Summary: Peripheral nerve injuries result in the retraction of Ia synapses from a-motoneurons, impairing functional recovery and correlating with injury severity and muscle reinnervation efficiency. This study analyzed VGluT1-labeled Ia synapses after nerve crush in 10-day-old rats and found a large loss of synapses similar to more severe injuries in adults. The mechanism of synapse loss in young animals may be associated with higher microglia synaptic pruning activity and results in greater losses after milder nerve injuries.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Paula M. Calvo, Rosa R. de la Cruz, Angel M. Pastor, Francisco J. Alvarez
Summary: The muscle-derived factor VEGF can upregulate KCC2 expression in axotomized abducens motoneurons, improving synaptic inhibition. This is the first report of lack of KCC2 regulation in a motoneuron type after injury, proposing a role for VEGF in KCC2 regulation and demonstrating the link between KCC2 and synaptic inhibition in awake, behaving animals.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Erica Tracey Akhter, Ronald W. Griffith, Arthur W. English, Francisco J. Alvarez
Article
Biology
Erica T. Akhter, Travis M. Rotterman, Arthur W. English, Francisco J. Alvarez
Article
Neurosciences
Francisco J. Alvarez
BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN
(2017)