The cerebellum is involved in numerous motor pathologies. It is engaged in a dialog with the major anterior brain structures (cortex, basal ganglia), which function and dysfunctions are not well understood. Clinical evidence indicates that this dialog is disrupted in many neurological diseases and that the cerebellum may be a target for corrective treatments. Our interest in the team therefore focuses on the function and dysfunction of the cerebellum in these wide brain circuits. My presentation will summarize our recent work aimed at identifying the plastic events involving the cerebellum in pathologies associated with the basal ganglia (Parkinson’s disease; dyskinesia; dystonia). Using animal models of these motor disorders, we examined how functional alterations produce widespread adaptations through the motor circuits, notably in the cerebello-cortical pathways. Moreover I will show that repeated stimulation patterns applied to the cerebellum may alleviate motor symptoms in these disorders, thus revealing their therapeutic potential.
Organizer
Vincenzo Romano
v.romano@erasmusmc.nl