By University of Copenhagen – The Professors of Health and Medical Sciences
August 2, 2023
” We have actually discovered a group of afferent neuron in the midbrain which, when promoted, stop all movement. Not just strolling; all kinds of motor activity. They even make the mice stop breathing or breathe more gradually, and the heart rate decreases,” discusses Professor Ole Kiehn, who is a co-author of the study.
What is so special about these nerve cells is that as soon as triggered they trigger the movement to be stopped briefly or freeze. The stars movement suddenly stops on the area,” says Ole Kiehn.
When the scientists ended triggering the afferent neuron, the mice would begin the motion exactly where it stopped. Much like when pushing “play” again.
It does not resemble other types of motion or motor arrest we or other scientists have actually studied. There, the movement does not always begin where it stopped, but might begin over with a new pattern,” says Ph.D.
The nerve cells stimulated by the researchers are discovered in the midbrain in a location called the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), and they differ from other afferent neuron therefore expressing a particular molecular marker called Chx10. The PPN prevails to all vertebrates including humans. So even though the study was carried out in mice, the researchers anticipate the phenomenon to apply to people too.
Not associated with fear
Some might suggest that the nerve cells are activated by worry. The majority of people are familiar with the phenomenon of “freezing” caused by severe worry. But that is not the case.
” We have actually compared this type of motor arrest to motor arrest or freezing brought on by worry, and they are not similar. We are very sure that the motion arrest observe here is not connected to fear. Rather, our company believe it has something to do with attention or awareness, which is seen in certain scenarios,” says Assistant Professor Roberto Leiras, who is co-author of the research study.
The researchers believe it is an expression of a concentrated attention. They worry that the study has actually not exposed if this is indeed the case. It is something that requires more research to show.
May have the ability to comprehend Parkinsons symptoms
The new research study may have the ability to assist us comprehend some of the systems of Parkinsons disease.
” Motor arrest or slow movement is one of the cardinal signs of Parkinsons illness. The study, which mainly has focused on the fundamental mechanisms that manage motion in the anxious system, may ultimately assist us to understand the cause of some of the motor symptoms in Parkinsons disease,” Ole Kiehn concludes.
Reference: “Pedunculopontine Chx10+ neurons control international motor arrest in mice” by Haizea Goñi-Erro, Raghavendra Selvan, Roberto Leiras and Ole Kiehn, 27 July 2023, Nature Neuroscience.DOI: 10.1038/ s41593-023-01396-3.
The study was moneyed by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Lundbeck Foundation, and the Swedish Research Council.
” We have actually found a group of nerve cells in the midbrain which, when promoted, stop all motion. What is so special about these nerve cells is that when activated they trigger the movement to be stopped briefly or freeze. It does not resemble other forms of movement or motor arrest we or other scientists have actually studied.” Motor arrest or sluggish movement is one of the cardinal signs of Parkinsons illness. The research study, which mainly has actually focused on the essential systems that control movement in the anxious system, might ultimately help us to comprehend the cause of some of the motor symptoms in Parkinsons illness,” Ole Kiehn concludes.
Researchers have actually determined an unique group of nerve cells in the midbrain that can pause all motion, looking like a pause-and-play pattern, and reboot exactly where it ceased. This discovery, unassociated to fear however possibly related to attention, might assist in comprehending Parkinsons illness mechanisms.
A group of afferent neuron in the brain displays an amazing ability to stop all kinds of movement, as revealed by a current study carried out on mice. This finding contributes considerably to our understanding of how the nerve system works out control over our movements.
When a searching canine spots the scents of a deer, it often totally freezes. This phenomenon can also be observed in humans who need to focus intently on an intricate job.
Now, a current discovery adds to our understanding of what occurs in the brain when we suddenly stop moving.