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This Article Free via Open Access: OA OA Full Text Full Text (PDF) OA All Versions of this Article: 586/4/1117    most recent jphysiol.2007.144220v1 Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Soteropoulos, D. S. Articles by Baker, S. N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Soteropoulos, D. S. Articles by Baker, S. N. Related Collections Neuroscience

¹ Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Building, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK

The cerebellum is normally assumed to represent ipsilateral movements. We tested this by making microelectrode penetrations into the deep cerebellar nuclei (mainly nucleus interpositus) of monkeys trained to perform a reach and grasp task with either hand. Following weak single electrical stimuli, many sites produced clear bilateral facilitation of multiple forelimb muscles. The short onset latencies, which were similar for each side, suggested that at least some of the muscle responses were mediated by descending tracts originating in the brainstem, rather than via the cerebral cortex. Additionally, cerebellar neurones modulated their discharge with both ipsilateral and contralateral movements. This was so, even when we carefully excluded contralateral trials with evidence of electromyogram modulation on the ipsilateral side. We conclude that the deep cerebellar nuclei have a bilateral movement representation, and relatively direct, powerful access to limb muscles on both sides of the body. This places the cerebellum in an ideal position to coordinate bilateral movements.

(Received 31 August 2007; accepted after revision 18 December 2007; first published online 3 January 2008)
Corresponding author S. N. Baker: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Building, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK. Email: stuart.baker{at}ncl.ac.uk

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