Morphological and functional evaluation of the glutamatergic neurons in the precuneiform nucleus

Abstract

This thesis investigates the morphological and electrophysiological properties of glutamatergic neurons in the precuneiform nucleus (PrCN), a component of the mesencephalic locomotor region involved in movement control. Using Vglut2-tdTomato mice, neurons were labelled during patch-clamp recordings, reconstructed with Neurolucida software, and analyzed for correlations between soma/dendritic structure and firing characteristics. The study found that larger soma size correlated with higher firing rates and oscillatory power, while greater dendritic length was linked to lower firing frequency, adaptation index, and oscillatory frequency. Morphological complexity was associated with increased synaptic input and functional variability among neuron subtypes. These findings suggest that PrCN glutamatergic neurons share properties with similar neurons in related brainstem regions and play a key role in locomotion, posture, and gait regulation. The work has potential implications for therapeutic strategies, including deep brain stimulation, in disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and stroke-related gait dysfunction.