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The lateral reticular nucleus: a precerebellar centre providing the cerebellum with overview and integration of motor functions at systems level. A new hypothesis
Author(s) -
Alstermark Bror,
Ekerot CarlFredrik
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.256669
Subject(s) - cerebellum , lateral reticular nucleus , neuroscience , reticular connective tissue , reticular formation , nucleus , reticular activating system , anatomy , biology , central nervous system , medulla oblongata
The lateral reticular nucleus (LRN) is a major precerebellar centre of mossy fibre information to the cerebellum from the spinal cord that is distinct from the direct spinocerebellar paths. The LRN has traditionally been considered to provide the cerebellum with segregated information from several spinal systems controlling posture, reaching, grasping, locomotion, scratching and respiration. However, results are presented that show extensive convergence on a majority of LRN neurons from spinal systems. We propose a new hypothesis suggesting that the LRN may use extensive convergence from the different input systems to provide overview and integration of linked motor components to the cerebellum. This integrated information is sent in parallel with the segregated information from the individual systems to the cerebellum that finally may compare the activity and make necessary adjustments of various motor behaviours.