Linking oscillations in cerebellar circuits

Abstract

In many neuroscience fields, the study of local and global rhythmicity has been receiving increasing attention. These network influences could directly impact on how neuronal groups interact together, organizing for different contexts. The cerebellar cortex harbors a variety of such local circuit rhythms, from the rhythms in the cerebellar cortex per se, or those dictated from important afferents. We present here certain cerebellar oscillatory phenomena that have been recorded in rodents and primates. Those take place in a range of frequencies: from the more known oscillations in the 4–25 Hz band, such as the olivocerebellar oscillatory activity and the granule cell layer oscillations, to the more recently reported slow (<1 Hz oscillations), and the fast (>150 Hz) activity in the Purkinje cell layer. Many of these oscillations appear spontaneously in the circuits, and are modulated by behavioral imperatives. We review here how those oscillations are recorded, some of their modulatory mechanisms, and also identify some of the cerebellar nodes where they could interact. A particular emphasis has been placed on how these oscillations could be modulated by movement and certain neuropathological manifestations. Many of those oscillations could have a definite impact on the way information is processed in the cerebellum and how it interacts with other structures in a variety of contexts.

“Cerebellar contribution to visuo-attentional alpha rhythm: insights from weightlessness”

“…Alpha and beta EEG rhythms have been identified in the cerebellum, the thalamus and a cortical network including the insula, cingulate and prefrontal cortex and show a correlation with fMRI signal fluctuations in the tonic alertness state40. Alpha oscillations in the cerebral cortex and alpha-beta oscillation in the cerebellar cortex follow similar behaviour in relation to movement preparation41. In both cortical circuits, the persistence of sensory or cognitive inputs is supported by neuronal membrane properties and by a recurrent chain of neurons that act as neural integrators42.…”

“…It has been demonstrated in rodents, primates and humans that cerebellar oscillations may interact with cerebral oscillations4. Oscillations in cerebellar circuits could serve to coordinate their internal activity, but also to relate cerebellar activity to other distant cerebral areas41. In this way, specific theta/beta range oscillations (4–25 Hz) of the granule cell layer in the cerebellum have been linked to cerebral cortex activity45.…”

Gap Junction Modulation of Low-Frequency Oscillations in the Cerebellar Granule Cell Layer

“…These could indeed affect the coding in the GCL, the granule/Purkinje connection geometry via the ascending branch and parallel fibers, and the Purkinje cell layer (and interneurons), all the way to the deep cerebellar nuclei [14,58]. In future experiments on Golgi network organization and GCL LFP oscillations, a few parameters could be explored from a local to global perspective.…”

“…The cerebellum plays a pivotal role in many aspects of sensorimotor processing and displays low-frequency LFP oscillations that are synchronized with those in primary somatosensory cortex and motor areas [11][12][13][14]. Low-frequency cerebellar oscillations have been recorded in the granule cell layer (GCL) of awake and alert rodents (7)(8) and primates (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) [12,[15][16][17], and are present both at rest and during preparation for movement [12,14,[16][17][18]. In addition, single and multi-unit firing activity within the GCL is phase-locked with GCL oscillations [15][16][17].…”

An Interneuron Circuit Reproducing Essential Spectral Features of Field Potentials

“…Interpreting the spontaneous cerebellocortical rhythms is particularly difficult, owing to the multitude of both peripheral and central inputs to cerebellar cortex and the high spontaneous activity of its principal neurons, the Purkinje cells (Bremer, 1958;Cebolla et al, 2016;Courtemanche et al, 2013;Middleton et al, 2008). On the other hand, it has been argued that cerebellar cortex and neocortex may generate the same rhythms independently (Niedermeyer, 2004).…”