title: Theta oscillations regulate the speed of locomotion via a hippocampus to lateral septum pathway.
abstract: Hippocampal theta oscillations support encoding of an animal's position during spatial navigation, yet longstanding questions about their impact on locomotion remain unanswered. Combining optogenetic control of hippocampal theta oscillations with electrophysiological recordings in mice, we show that hippocampal theta oscillations regulate locomotion. In particular, we demonstrate that their regularity underlies more stable and slower running speeds during exploration. More regular theta oscillations are accompanied by more regular theta-rhythmic spiking output of pyramidal cells. Theta oscillations are coordinated between the hippocampus and its main subcortical output, the lateral septum (LS). Chemo- or optogenetic inhibition of this pathway reveals its necessity for the hippocampal regulation of running speed. Moreover, theta-rhythmic stimulation of LS projections to the lateral hypothalamus replicates the reduction of running speed induced by more regular hippocampal theta oscillations. These results suggest that changes in hippocampal theta synchronization are translated into rapid adjustment of running speed via the LS.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorbati
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Marta Carus
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cadavieco
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Denisova
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Korotkova
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neurodynamics Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Street 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.|NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, Virchowweg 6, CCO, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponomarenko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059330:GABAergic Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D062308:Optogenetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D020665:Septum of Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D065854:Spatial Navigation; D013826:Theta Rhythm