title: Synaptic representation of locomotion in single cerebellar granule cells.
abstract: The cerebellum plays a crucial role in the regulation of locomotion, but how movement is represented at the synaptic level is not known. Here, we use in vivo patch-clamp recordings to show that locomotion can be directly read out from mossy fiber synaptic input and spike output in single granule cells. The increase in granule cell spiking during locomotion is enhanced by glutamate spillover currents recruited during movement. Surprisingly, the entire step sequence can be predicted from input EPSCs and output spikes of a single granule cell, suggesting that a robust gait code is present already at the cerebellar input layer and transmitted via the granule cell pathway to downstream Purkinje cells. Thus, synaptic input delivers remarkably rich information to single neurons during locomotion.
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathy
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Duguid
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Häusser
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008124:Locomotion; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
keywords: cerebellum; granule cells; locomotion; mouse; neuroscience; patch clamp; synaptic integration