Causal link between functional synaptic connectivity in the cerebellar cortex and motor behavior –
INCI, Strasbourg

11 am, seminar room
Invited by David Robbe

Abstract : The cerebellum is essential for motor coordination, to maintain gait and balance and to learn new motor skills. In the cerebellar cortex, information processing is based on a modular organization: each module is involved in the control of specific motor units. Our work aims at understanding how cerebellar modules process incoming information, communicate to other modules and how these computations relate to behavior in mice. I will present how we combine optical (glutamate uncaging), electrophysiological approaches in vitro (patch-clamp) with behavioral perturbations. We use a transgenic strain of mice to visualize cerebellar modules in acute cerebellar slices. PCs are recorded in whole-cell mode while groups of granule cells are systematically activated via RuBi-glutamate pthotostimulation. We determine the synaptic maps of identified module in normal conditions and in two altered conditions: a cuff model (locomotion is impaired for a few days before recovering) and an enriched condition (mice have access to a running wheel). On both experiments synaptic maps are altered compared to normal condition. I will discuss how these data will bring new hypotheses about the control of motor coordination during normal and pathological conditions.