Sensory and Motor Systems
Author: Leonardo Molano Ramirez | Email: leomol5164@gmail.com
Leonardo Molano Ramirez1°, Joaquin Alejo Quintana1°, Damian Hernandez1°, Maria Soledad Esposito1°
1° Neurobiology of movement/Medical physics department/Centro Atómico Bariloche
The traditional motor learning model emphasizes specific brain structures within the forebrain and cerebellum, positing that they undergo activity-dependent modifications during skill acquisition. In contrast, brainstem motor regions have been traditionally regarded as static, primarily governing stereotyped motor behaviors. However, we challenge this perspective by proposing that the acquisition of new motor skills also involves dynamic changes in brainstem motor centers, with a particular focus on the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). In our study, we investigate MLR’s role in learning new motor skills, using the accelerating rotarod task and single pellet reaching task with mice as a model. Employing various methods, including drug protein inhibition, specific drug for blocking signaling pathway receptors, synaptic silencing, and unsupervised machine learning, we provide evidence supporting MLR involvement in consolidating new motor skills. To demonstrate the specificity of MLR’s role in motor learning, we also utilized paradigms such as contextual fear conditioning and novel object recognition, which showed no significant MLR involvement, further emphasizing its unique contribution to motor skill acquisition.