Continuous membrane potential fluctuations in motor cortex and striatum neurons during voluntary forelimb movements and pauses

Satoshi Nonomura; Yoko Fujiwara-Tsukamoto; Takafumi Kajihara; Fumino Fujiyama; Yoshikazu Isomura

doi:10.1016/j.neures.2017.03.002

Continuous membrane potential fluctuations in motor cortex and striatum neurons during voluntary forelimb movements and pauses

Neurosci Res. 2017 Jul:120:53-59. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2017.03.002. Epub 2017 Mar 4.

Authors

Satoshi Nonomura¹, Yoko Fujiwara-Tsukamoto², Takafumi Kajihara¹, Fumino Fujiyama³, Yoshikazu Isomura⁴

Affiliations

¹ Brain Science Institute/Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1 Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.
² Brain Science Institute/Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1 Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan; Laboratory of Neural Circuitry, Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara Miyakodai, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 7 Gobancho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan; Faculty of Human Life Studies, Department of Food and Nutrition, Hagoromo University of International Studies, 1-89-1 Hamadera Minamimachi, Nishiku, Sakai, Osaka 592-8344, Japan.
³ Laboratory of Neural Circuitry, Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara Miyakodai, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan.
⁴ Brain Science Institute/Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1 Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 7 Gobancho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan. Electronic address: isomura@lab.tamagawa.ac.jp.

PMID: 28267578
DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2017.03.002

Abstract

Theoretical simulations suggest that spike rate is regulated by varying both membrane potential and its fluctuation. We investigated whether membrane potential fluctuation functionally changes in motor cortex and striatum neurons during discrete forelimb movements and pauses, or at rest, using whole-cell recording in task-performing rats. Membrane potential fluctuation was diminished by task performance, but maintained overall in the alpha/beta and gamma bands during forelimb movements and pauses. By contrast, membrane potential itself was correlated with spike rate in task-related neurons. Thus, membrane potential, but not its fluctuation, is a critical determinant of execution and pausing of discrete movements.

Keywords: Forelimb movement; Motor cortex; Rat; Striatum; Whole-cell recording.

MeSH terms

Animals
Corpus Striatum / physiology*
Forelimb
Male
Membrane Potentials*
Motor Activity*
Motor Cortex / physiology*
Rats, Long-Evans