Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital created a whole-brain atlas visualizing regions of the brain that send direct inputs to V1 interneurons, a crucial group of cells for movement. This atlas sheds light on the complex communication network between the brain and spinal cord, offering a framework for future research.
Signals relayed to motor neurons from the brain enable muscle movement, but these signals typically pass through spinal interneurons before they reach their destination. How the brain and this highly diverse group of"switchboard operator" cells are connected is poorly understood. To address this, scientists at St.
To dissect the circuits linking the brain to the spinal cord, the researchers used a genetically modified version of the rabies virus that is missing a key protein, the glycoprotein, from its surface. This inhibited the virus's ability to spread between neurons. The researchers turned to serial two-photon tomography to visualize these neurons and generate a three-dimensional reference atlas. This technique renders the brain as it makes hundreds of micron-thick sections to reveal fluorescently labeled neurons. The atlas allowed the researchers to make accurate predictions about the network that connects different brain structures to the spinal cord and the interneurons with which they interact.
NEUROSCIENCE BRAIN SPINAL CORD INTERNEURONS MOTOR CONTROL
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