Identification and organization of a postural anti-gravity module in the cerebellar vermis

Abstract

The cerebellum is known to control the proper balance of isometric muscular contractions that maintain body posture. Current optogenetic manipulations of the cerebellar cortex output, however, have focused on ballistic body movements, examining movement initiation or perturbations. Here, by optogenetic stimulations of cerebellar Purkinje cells, the output of the cerebellar cortex, we evaluate body posture maintenance. By sequential analysis of body movement, we dissect the effect of optogenetic stimulation into a directly induced movement that is then followed by a compensatory reflex to regain body posture. We identify a module in the medial part of the anterior vermis which, through multiple muscle tone regulation, is involved in postural anti-gravity maintenance of the body. Moreover, we report an antero-posterior and medio-lateral functional segregation over the vermal lobules IV/V/VI. Taken together our results open new avenues for better understanding of the modular functional organization of the cerebellar cortex and its role in postural anti-gravity maintenance. HighlightsO_LIVermal Purkinje cell activation elicits a graded postural collapse in the standing mouse C_LIO_LIThe collapse triggers a secondary composite postural reflex C_LIO_LIAn identified cerebellar module is involved in postural anti-gravity tone maintenance C_LIO_LIThe anti-gravity function is somatotopically organized within this module C_LI