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Moving is one of the basic functions of the brain and some think that movement is the reason we developed a brain in the first place!
We know that we have different areas of the brain dedicated to movement (see leading brains Review issue 07 for an overview). However, researchers so far had not been able to identify exactly how movement was initiated and in what brain areas.
Researchers at Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience have now, through a serious of novel experiments using optogenetics, been able to identify the circuit that initiates controlled and planned movement.
This circuit involves the midbrain, thalamus, and cortex. What is interesting is that this seems to be a circuit rather than a single area highlighting the importance of the interplay between regions rather than the regions themselves.
This knowledge can also help those with Parkinson’s who have problems with self-initiated movement, but, interestingly, not cue-triggered movement.
Reference:
Hidehiko K. Inagaki, Susu Chen, Margreet C. Ridder, Pankaj Sah, Nuo Li, Zidan Yang, Hana Hasanbegovic, Zhenyu Gao, Charles R. Gerfen, Karel Svoboda.
A midbrain-thalamus-cortex circuit reorganizes cortical dynamics to initiate movement.
Cell, 2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.02.006
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Andy is author of leading brains Review a monthly e-magazine on all things the brain, behaviour, and business.
