The deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) integrate various inputs to the cerebellum and form the final cerebellar outputs critical for associative sensorimotor learning. However, the functional relevance of distinct neuronal subpopulations within the DCN remains poorly understood. Here, we examined a subpopulation of mouse DCN neurons whose axons specifically project to the ventromedial (Vm) thalamus (DCN^Vm neurons), and found that these neurons represent a specific subset of DCN units whose activity varies with trace eyeblink conditioning (tEBC), a classical associative sensorimotor learning task. Upon conditioning, the activity of DCN^Vm neurons signaled the performance of conditioned eyeblink responses (CRs). Optogenetic activation and inhibition of the DCN^Vm neurons in well-trained mice amplified and diminished the CRs, respectively. Chemogenetic manipulation of the DCN^Vm neurons had no effects on non-associative motor coordination. Furthermore, optogenetic activation of the DCN^Vm neurons caused rapid elevated firing activity in the cingulate cortex, a brain area critical for bridging the time gap between sensory stimuli and motor execution during tEBC. Together, our data highlights DCN^Vm neurons' function and delineates their kinematic parameters that modulate the strength of associative sensorimotor responses.
Animals ; Blinking ; Cerebellar Nuclei/physiology* ; Cerebellum ; Mice ; Neurons/physiology* ; Thalamus

OBJECTIVEIn order to study the effect of fastigial nucleus stimulation (FNS) on human cardiovascular system, the photo plethysmogram (PPG) affected by FNS were recorded and analyzed.

METHODSThirty volunteers' pulse signals were recorded before, during and after the FNS, and 5 PPG characteristics, such as H, Slope, and K were extracted. Changes of each characteristic in three stages were analyzed contrastive and based on which physiological changes caused by FNS were described.

RESULTSThe pulse wave showed sensitive on-going short-term changes during the FNS.

CONCLUSIONChanges of characteristics indicates that FNS results in ongoing short-term changes of some physiological parameters such as peripheral blood flow and peripheral resistance.

Adult ; Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; physiology ; Electric Stimulation ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male

OJECTIVETo explore whether different acupuncture signals were afferent to the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) neuron and to find out their corresponding effect features through observing the effect of spontaneous discharge of cerebellar FN neuron by needling at different acupoints.

METHODSTotally 120 male SD rats were anesthetized by 20% urethane and their right cerebellar FN were positioned (AP 11. 6 mm, RL 1. 0 mm, H 5. 6 mm). Extracelluar discharge was recorded by glass microelectrode (AP: -11. 6 mm, R: 1. 0 mm, H: 5.7 -7. 0 mm), using extracellular microelectrode recording method, recording the spontaneous discharge of cerebellar FN neurons as a baseline. Random order of needling at zusanli (ST36), quchi (Lil1), weishu (BL21), and zhongwan (CV12) were compared with the baseline before each acupuncture. Their effects on the discharge of cerebellar FN neurons were observed and compared with baselines.

RESULTSThe frequency of FN neuronal discharge could be elevated by needling at zusanli (ST36), quchi (LiI), weishu (BL21), and zhongwan (CV12) (P <0. 01, P <0. 05). The response rate of needling at Zhongwan (CV12, 56. 00%) was higher than that of needling at Zusanli (ST36), Quchi (Ll1), and Weishu (BL21) (35. 00%, 34. 62%, 36. 63%, respectively) with statistical difference (P <0. 05). The response rate of needling at zhongwan (CV12) was obviously higher than that of needing at other points (F = 2. 101, P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSNeedling at zusanli (ST36 ), quchi (Lil), weishu (BL21), and zhongwan (CV12) could elevate the spontaneous discharge frequency of cerebellar FN neurons. Needling at Zhongwan (CV12) had advantageous roles in regulating cerebellar FN.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; physiology ; Male ; Microelectrodes ; Neurons ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIMTo explore the effect of cerebellar fastigial nuclei (FN)on lymphocyte function and the pathway mediating the effect.

METHODSKainic acid (KA) was microinjected into bilateral FN of rats to destroy neuronal bodies in the FN. On the eighth day after the surgery, lymphocyte percentage in the peripheral blood and level of sheep red blood cell(SRBC)-specific IgM antibody in the serum were measured by using blood corpuscle counter and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.A technology of electrolytic lesion was used to destroy the projections of cerebellar FN neurons to hypothalamus in decussation of superior cerebellar peduncle(xscp).

RESULTSOn the eighth day after the microinjection of KA into the bilateral FN of rats, the Nissl-stained neuronal bodies in the FN disappeared and glia could proliferated within the damaged FN. In the nuclei close to FN, the interposed nuclei and the dentate nuclei, Nissl-stained neurons still could be seen. On the control cerebellar sections, in which FN was infused with saline, we could see the normal Nissl-stained neurons in the FN and the other two nuclei.On day 8 following the effective FN lesions, both the lymphocyte percentage in the peripheral blood and the level of anti-SRBC IgM antibody in the serum were significantly increased in comparison with those of control rats infused with saline in the FN. On the eighth day after electrolytic lesion of the fibres in xscp, the FN-hypothalamic projections were damaged and there were no visible BDA-positive endings in hypothalamus. Meanwhile, both the lymphocyte percentage in the peripheral blood and the level of anti-SRBC IgM antibody in the serum were remarkably enhanced relative to those of control rats with sham lesion of xscp.

CONCLUSIONThe electrolytic lesion of the FN-hypothalamic projections in xscp causes an enhancement of lymphocyte function similar to that of KA lesions of neuronal soma in the FN. These findings suggest that the cerebellohypothalamic projections participate in mediating the modulation of lymphocyte function by the cerebellum.

Animals ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; immunology ; injuries ; Female ; Hypothalamus ; immunology ; physiology ; Kainic Acid ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; Male ; Neural Pathways ; immunology ; physiology ; Neuroimmunomodulation ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

In the present study, rat model of gastric ischemia-reperfusion (GI-R) injury was established by clamping the celiac artery for 30 min followed by 1 h of reperfusion. Subsequently, the regulatory effect of electrical stimulation of cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) on GI-R injury and its neural mechanisms were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. The results are as follows. Electrical stimulation of the cerebellar FN not only obviously attenuated the GI-R injury in an intensity-dependent manner, but also decreased the apoptosis rate of gastric mucosal cells. Chemical lesion of FN eliminated the protective effect of electrical stimulation of FN on GI-R injury. Electrical stimulation of cerebellar FN decreased both the frequency and amplitude of the discharges of greater splanchnic nerve, but it could not change the discharge of greater splanchnic nerve following the lesion of the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). After bilateral section of the greater splanchnic nerves, electrical stimulation of the FN also attenuated the GI-R injury. Chemical lesion of the LHA reversed the protective effect of electrical stimulation of FN on GI-R injury. Electrical stimulation of FN increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), but decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in gastric mucosa under GI-R. These results indicate that the cerebellar FN may regulate GI-R injury. Therefore, the cerebellar FN is an important brain site protecting the stomach against GI-R. The LHA and greater splanchnic nerves participate in the regulatory effects of cerebellar FN stimulation on GI-R injury. In addition, antioxidation may also be involved in the protection mechanism of cerebellar FN stimulation.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; physiology ; Electric Stimulation ; Gastric Mucosa ; cytology ; metabolism ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; physiopathology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

AIMTo increase the cognition of cerebellar functions and the knowledge of neuroimmunology, the effect of cerebellar interposed nuclei (IN), one of three deep nuclei in cerebellum, on lymphocyte function was investigated.

METHODSKainic acid (KA) was microinjected into bilateral IN for lesions of neuronal bodies in the IN. Control rats was microinjected with saline into their IN. On days 8, 16 and 32 following the IN lesions, the lymphocyte number in the peripheral blood was measured by blood corpuscle counter. Meanwhile, lymphocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A (Con A), cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells against YAC-1 cells, and anti-SRBC IgM antibody in the serum were examined respectively by methyl-thiazole-tetrazolium (MTT) assay, flow cytometry and ELISA assay.

RESULTSThe lymphocyte number in the peripheral blood was significantly reduced on days 8, 16 and 32 following the effective lesions of the bilateral IN in comparison with that of control. The Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation, the NK cell cytotoxicity to YAC-1 cells, and the titer of anti-SRBC IgM antibody in the serum, were all significantly attenuated on days 8, 16 and 32 following the effective lesions of the bilateral IN in comparison with those of control. There were not remarkable differences between the days 8, 16 and 32 in the decreased lymphocyte number and functions induced by the lesions of the bilateral IN.

CONCLUSIONEffective lesions of the cerebellar bilateral IN of rats cause an inhibition in lymphocyte number and functions of T, B and NK cells, strongly showing that the cerebellar IN can modulate lymphocyte functions.

Animals ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; immunology ; physiology ; Cerebellum ; immunology ; physiology ; Female ; Kainic Acid ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Male ; Microinjections ; Neuroimmunomodulation ; immunology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley