The goal of this research is to understand the role of the motor cortex in controlling movement. Despite intense efforts over the last two centuries, there is still little consensus about the mechanisms by which the motor cortex controls voluntary movements. Recently, exploratory movements of the mystacial vibrissae (""""""""whisking"""""""") have emerged as a promising, simpler model system for addressing this issue. However, progress has been limited by the lack of data on the pathways and mechanisms responsible for the motor act. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that pre-motoneurons in the parvocellular reticular formation are a key part of a network that controls exploratory whisking, and that the motor cortex modulates whisking by its action on these pre-motoneurons. Several hypotheses will be tested using electrophysilolgical and neuroanatomical approaches in vivo and in vitro. The proposed studies will provide data pertinent to understand the normal functions of the mortor cortex, and the processes underlying congenital or acquired neurological diseases resulting in sensory-motor deficits.
| Friedman, Wendy A; Zeigler, H Philip; Keller, Asaf (2012) Vibrissae motor cortex unit activity during whisking. J Neurophysiol 107:551-63 |
| Murray, Peter D; Keller, Asaf (2011) Somatosensory response properties of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in rat motor cortex. J Neurophysiol 106:1355-62 |
| Hemelt, Marie E; Kwegyir-Afful, Ernest E; Bruno, Randy M et al. (2010) Consistency of angular tuning in the rat vibrissa system. J Neurophysiol 104:3105-12 |
| Murray, Peter D; Masri, Radi; Keller, Asaf (2010) Abnormal anterior pretectal nucleus activity contributes to central pain syndrome. J Neurophysiol 103:3044-53 |
| Masri, Radi; Quiton, Raimi L; Lucas, Jessica M et al. (2009) Zona incerta: a role in central pain. J Neurophysiol 102:181-91 |
| Khatri, V; Bermejo, R; Brumberg, J C et al. (2009) Whisking in air: encoding of kinematics by trigeminal ganglion neurons in awake rats. J Neurophysiol 101:1836-46 |
| Masri, Radi; Bezdudnaya, Tatiana; Trageser, Jason C et al. (2008) Encoding of stimulus frequency and sensor motion in the posterior medial thalamic nucleus. J Neurophysiol 100:681-9 |
| Hemelt, Marie E; Keller, Asaf (2008) Superior colliculus control of vibrissa movements. J Neurophysiol 100:1245-54 |
| Bezdudnaya, Tatiana; Keller, Asaf (2008) Laterodorsal nucleus of the thalamus: A processor of somatosensory inputs. J Comp Neurol 507:1979-89 |
| Hemelt, Marie E; Keller, Asaf (2007) Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system. BMC Neurosci 8:12 |
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