title: Gait is associated with an increase in tonic firing of the sub-cuneiform nucleus neurons.
abstract: In animals, the pedunculopontine (PPN) and the sub-cuneiform (SCU) nuclei located in the upper brainstem are involved during the processing of gait. Similar functional nuclei are suspected in humans but their role in gait is unclear. Here we show that, using extra-cellular recordings of the PPN/SCU region obtained in two parkinsonian patients, the SCU neurons increased their firing rate without modifying their firing pattern during mimicked steps. We conclude that SCU neurons are activated during gait processes.
authors.affiliation: Univ Grenoble I, Grenoble, F-38000 France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piallat
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chabardès
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fraix
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seigneuret
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bardinet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraye
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Debu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krack
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yelnik
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Benabid
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000473:pathology*; D014851:Wakefulness