title: Modeling the Cerebellar Microcircuit: New Strategies for a Long-Standing Issue.
abstract: The cerebellar microcircuit has been the work bench for theoretical and computational modeling since the beginning of neuroscientific research. The regular neural architecture of the cerebellum inspired different solutions to the long-standing issue of how its circuitry could control motor learning and coordination. Originally, the cerebellar network was modeled using a statistical-topological approach that was later extended by considering the geometrical organization of local microcircuits. However, with the advancement in anatomical and physiological investigations, new discoveries have revealed an unexpected richness of connections, neuronal dynamics and plasticity, calling for a change in modeling strategies, so as to include the multitude of elementary aspects of the network into an integrated and easily updatable computational framework. Recently, biophysically accurate "realistic" models using a bottom-up strategy accounted for both detailed connectivity and neuronal non-linear membrane dynamics. In this perspective review, we will consider the state of the art and discuss how these initial efforts could be further improved. Moreover, we will consider how embodied neurorobotic models including spiking cerebellar networks could help explaining the role and interplay of distributed forms of plasticity. We envisage that realistic modeling, combined with closed-loop simulations, will help to capture the essence of cerebellar computations and could eventually be applied to neurological diseases and neurorobotic control systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaPavia, Italy; Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological InstitutePavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Egidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: NearLab - NeuroEngineering and Medical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonietti
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casali
authors.affiliation: NearLab - NeuroEngineering and Medical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casellato
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Architecture and Technology, University of Granada Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesus A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Architecture and Technology, University of Granada Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Niceto Rafael
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Luque
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mapelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masoli
authors.affiliation: NearLab - NeuroEngineering and Medical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedrocchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prestori
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaPavia, Italy; Dipartimento di Informatica, Sistemistica e Comunicazione, Università degli Studi di Milano-BicoccaMilan, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina Francesca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rizza
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Architecture and Technology, University of Granada Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ros
keywords: cellular neurophysiology; cerebellum; computational modeling; microcircuit; motor learning; neural plasticity; neurorobotics; spiking neural network