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The Journal of Neuroscience, May 30, 2007, 27(22):6029-6036; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5441-06.2007

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Involvement of the Basal Ganglia and Cerebellar Motor Pathways in the Preparation of Self-Initiated and Externally Triggered Movements in Humans

Jamie Purzner,¹ Guillermo O. Paradiso,^1,2 Danny Cunic,¹ Jean A. Saint-Cyr,^1,3 Tasnuva Hoque,^1,3 Andres M. Lozano,^1,3 Anthony E. Lang,^1,2 Elena Moro,^1,2 Mojgan Hodaie,^1,3 Filomena Mazzella,¹ and Robert Chen^1,2

¹The Krembil Neuroscience Centre and Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8, and ²Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, and ³Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Robert Chen, 7MC411, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8. Email: robert.chen{at}uhn.on.ca

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is part of the cortico-basal ganglia (BG)–thalamocortical circuit, whereas the ventral lateral nucleus of the thalamus (VL) is a relay nucleus in the cerebello-dentato-thalamocortical (CTC) pathway. Both pathways have been implicated in movement preparation. We compared the involvement of the STN and VL in movement preparation in humans by recording local field potentials (LFPs) from seven patients with Parkinson's disease with deep-brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes in the STN and five patients with tremor and electrodes in VL. LFPs were recorded from DBS electrodes and scalp electrodes simultaneously while the patients performed self-paced and externally cued (ready, go/no-go) movements. For the self-paced movement, a premovement-related potential was observed in all patients from scalp, STN (phase reversal, five of six patients), and VL (phase reversal, five of five patients) electrodes. The onset times of the potentials were similar in the cortex, STN, and VL, ranging from 1.5 to 2 s before electromyogram onset. For the externally cued movement, an expectancy potential was observed in all patients in cortical and STN electrodes (phase reversal, six of six patients). The expectancy potential was recorded from the thalamic electrodes in four of five patients. However, phase reversal occurred only in one case, and magnetic resonance imaging showed that this contact was outside the VL. The cortico-BG–thalamocortical circuit is involved in the preparation of both self-paced and externally cued movements. The CTC pathway is involved in the preparation of self-paced but not externally cued movements, although the pathway may still be involved in the execution of these movements.

Key words: movement preparation; Parkinson's disease; essential tremor; deep-brain stimulation; cerebellothalmocortical pathway; subthalamic nucleus

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Received Dec. 15, 2006; revised April 26, 2007; accepted April 27, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Robert Chen, 7MC411, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8. Email: robert.chen{at}uhn.on.ca

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