Understanding the interplay between cerebellar and basal ganglia inputs to motor cortex

• Applicant: Professor Matthew Larkum
• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566744868

The ability to execute a movement with spatial accuracy and temporal precision is fascinating and astonishing. The complex mechanisms of movement control that are established by the interaction of basal ganglia, cerebellum and the cortex are far from understood. We hypothesize that input from the basal ganglia and cerebellum converge in cortex via different thalamic nuclei, where the inputs are amplified to create a relevant motor output and behaviour. The aim of this project is to investigate the overlapping thalamocortical inputs from basal ganglia and cerebellum in the motor cortex. Using three approaches – 1) anatomical tracing of pathways from basal ganglia and cerebellum to thalamus and then to motor cortex, 2) physiological measures of layer specific motor thalamic input to cortex separately for basal ganglia or cerebellar input receiving thalamic neurons, and 3) imaging activity of glutamatergic thalamic input to cortex during a behavioural decision making task as well as recording cortical spiking – we expect to better understand the role of the three systems in their interaction.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants