February 24, 2022 | 5 pm | Zoom
Soledad Esposito
Brainstem circuits for motor control.
Animals can generate an infinite variety of motor behaviors, from simple actions such as walking to highly complex movements like object manipulation or speech. Not surprisingly, many brain areas need to communicate and synchronize to ensure accurate execution of motor programs. Most studies in the field of motor control have focused on the anatomy and function of forebrain regions and spinal cord circuits, leaving a knowledge gap in our understanding of the organization and function of intermediate descending pathways. In my talk, I will describe recent findings on the cellular and functional organization of brainstem motor centers in which specific neuronal subpopulations control particular aspects of motor behavior such as skilled movement, locomotion or immobility.
