Control of locomotor speed, arousal, and hippocampal theta rhythms by the nucleus incertus

Lihui Lu, Yuqi Ren, Tao Yu, Zhixiang Liu, Sice Wang, Lubin Tan, Jiawei Zeng, Qiru Feng, Rui Lin, Yang Liu, Qingchun Guo and Minmin Luo ()
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Lihui Lu: Tsinghua University
Yuqi Ren: Peking University
Tao Yu: Tsinghua University
Zhixiang Liu: National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS)
Sice Wang: National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS)
Lubin Tan: National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS)
Jiawei Zeng: National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS)
Qiru Feng: Tsinghua University
Rui Lin: National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS)
Yang Liu: Tsinghua University
Qingchun Guo: Chinese Institute for Brain Research
Minmin Luo: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Navigation requires not only the execution of locomotor programs but also high arousal and real-time retrieval of spatial memory that is often associated with hippocampal theta oscillations. However, the neural circuits for coordinately controlling these important processes remain to be fully dissected. Here we show that the activity of the neuromedin B (NMB) neurons in the nucleus incertus (NI) is tightly correlated with mouse locomotor speed, arousal level, and hippocampal theta power. These processes are reversibly suppressed by optogenetic inhibition and rapidly promoted by optogenetic stimulation of NI NMB neurons. These neurons form reciprocal connections with several subcortical areas associated with arousal, theta oscillation, and premotor processing. Their projections to multiple downstream stations regulate locomotion and hippocampal theta, with the projection to the medial septum being particularly important for promoting arousal. Therefore, NI NMB neurons functionally impact the neural circuit for navigation control according to particular brains states.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14116-y

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