Objective: This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal encoding of neurons in the subthalamic nucleus using a mouse model.

Background: The subthalamic nucleus is a core target for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease, and beta oscillation recorded in the subthalamic nucleus is considered a potential target for adaptive DBS. However, how the neural network of different cell types within the subthalamic nucleus represents movement repertoire has not been elucidated.

Method: We developed a hardware/software system and data processing and analysis pipeline that includes 3D skeleton estimation for marker-less mice in a freely-moving environment, and precise temporal alignment of simultaneously recorded neural activities. Using in-vivo calcium imaging with transgenic mouse models, we recorded the cellular activities of neurons in the subthalamic nucleus. Using this system, we clustered the mouse movement repertoire based on 3D movement. We investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of functional clusters in the mouse subthalamic nucleus while the mouse engaged in a self-paced exploration task.

Results: We successfully recorded subthalamic neurons (n=125, from 5 WT mice) during a self-paced exploration task. A total of 25 movement clusters were extracted from 5 mice. We found functional clusters within the STN that shows different encoding pattern to movement repertiore. The functional clusters in subthalamic nucleus showed significant correlation with movement repertoire. Interestingly, functional clusters of subthalamic neurons showed significant activation and deactivation pattern in the transition phase of each movement repertoire.

Conclusion: Subthalamic neurons are associated with detailed motor representation and their transition. Disturbed neural encoding pattern of subthalalmic neurons in parkinsonian models will be studied in the future.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/representation-of-movement-repertoire-in-subthalamic-neural-circuits-using-a-markerless-3d-behavioral-tracking-system/