Separate brainstem circuits for fast steering and slow exploratory turns

Lulu Xu, Bing Zhu, Zhiqiang Zhu, Xingyu Tao, Tianrui Zhang, Abdeljabbar El Manira () and Jianren Song ()
Additional contact information
Lulu Xu: Tongji University
Bing Zhu: Tongji University
Zhiqiang Zhu: Tongji University
Xingyu Tao: Tongji University
Tianrui Zhang: Tongji University
Abdeljabbar El Manira: Karolinska Institute
Jianren Song: Tongji University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58621-9 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58621-9

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58621-9

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().