Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns
Abstract Locomotion requires precise tuning of descending commands to scale turning movements, such as rapid steering during prey pursuit or shallow turns during exploration. We show that these two turn types are governed by distinct brainstem circuits. The rapid steering circuit involves excitatory...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58621-9 |
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| author | Lulu Xu Bing Zhu Zhiqiang Zhu Xingyu Tao Tianrui Zhang Abdeljabbar El Manira Jianren Song |
| author_facet | Lulu Xu Bing Zhu Zhiqiang Zhu Xingyu Tao Tianrui Zhang Abdeljabbar El Manira Jianren Song |
| author_sort | Lulu Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Locomotion requires precise tuning of descending commands to scale turning movements, such as rapid steering during prey pursuit or shallow turns during exploration. We show that these two turn types are governed by distinct brainstem circuits. The rapid steering circuit involves excitatory V2a and inhibitory commissural V0d neurons, distributed across different brainstem nuclei. These neurons are coupled via gap junctions and activated simultaneously, ensuring rapid steering through asymmetrical activation of spinal motor neurons. The recruitment of this circuit correlates more with the degree of direction change than with locomotor frequency. Steering neurons are, in turn, controlled by a subset of V2a neurons in the pretectum, activated by salient visual input. In contrast, slow exploratory turns are governed by a separate set of V2a neurons confined to fewer brainstem nuclei. These findings reveal a modular organization of brainstem circuits that selectively control rapid steering and slow exploratory turning during locomotion. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-15f37bd9d74140e1b86cd0282a0fa8a3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-15f37bd9d74140e1b86cd0282a0fa8a32025-08-20T03:07:43ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111610.1038/s41467-025-58621-9Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turnsLulu Xu0Bing Zhu1Zhiqiang Zhu2Xingyu Tao3Tianrui Zhang4Abdeljabbar El Manira5Jianren Song6Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Karolinska InstituteShanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityAbstract Locomotion requires precise tuning of descending commands to scale turning movements, such as rapid steering during prey pursuit or shallow turns during exploration. We show that these two turn types are governed by distinct brainstem circuits. The rapid steering circuit involves excitatory V2a and inhibitory commissural V0d neurons, distributed across different brainstem nuclei. These neurons are coupled via gap junctions and activated simultaneously, ensuring rapid steering through asymmetrical activation of spinal motor neurons. The recruitment of this circuit correlates more with the degree of direction change than with locomotor frequency. Steering neurons are, in turn, controlled by a subset of V2a neurons in the pretectum, activated by salient visual input. In contrast, slow exploratory turns are governed by a separate set of V2a neurons confined to fewer brainstem nuclei. These findings reveal a modular organization of brainstem circuits that selectively control rapid steering and slow exploratory turning during locomotion.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58621-9 |
| spellingShingle | Lulu Xu Bing Zhu Zhiqiang Zhu Xingyu Tao Tianrui Zhang Abdeljabbar El Manira Jianren Song Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns Nature Communications |
| title | Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns |
| title_full | Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns |
| title_fullStr | Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns |
| title_short | Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns |
| title_sort | separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58621-9 |
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