Closing the loop: “The role of pallido-striatal neurons in sensory functions in the intact and parkinsonian basal ganglia”

The Globus Pallidus (GP) is a central part of the Basal Ganglia (BG), a group of subcortical nuclei supporting motor control and involved in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

The GP was studied mainly within the context of motor function and dysfunction, however, little is known about its role in sensory processing, which is impaired at early stages of PD.

Recently, the GP has received attention due to its potential role in alleviating PD symptoms and the discovery of a new type of GP neurons projecting exclusively to the striatum, named arkypallidal cells.

We have now characterized the synaptic inputs to arkypallidal cells, aiding in understanding their integration to BG circuit. This proposal aims to unravel the functional role of the GP arkypallidal cells in sensory processing. I use in vivo whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in the GP to study arkypallidal cells in the intact brain.

Optogenetics is used for systematic interrogation of the synaptic input affecting sensory processing.

In this project I will dissect the contribution of afferent inputs to arkypallidal cells during sensory processing, elucidate the striatal targets of arkypallidal cells during sensory stimulation, and finally, characterize the role of arkypallidal cells in the Parkinsonian GP.

This project will fill a gap in our knowledge of BG function in health and disease with focus on the GP and may provide early diagnostic tools for PD, preceding the emergence of motor deficits.