Conférence CRNL Cécile Gallea "Cerebellar Networks and Adaptive Processes beyond Motor Execution: Exemples from Movement Disorders "

Abstract:

In this seminar, I will explore the mechanisms behind adaptive processes allowing to produce efficient motor behaviors in response to contextual changes, particularly focusing on brain activity during the time period preceding movement onset. Our research in movement disorders (dystonia, pathological tremor) has shown that cerebellum is essential in several aspects of online motor control and learning. In addition, we are gaining insights into how the cerebellum participates to cognitive functions beyond producing online corrections during motor execution. This questions the traditional view that motor control is a sequence of events where planning, preparation and execution are separated steps, each associated with clear functionally segregated brain networks. While I will briefly highlight some of our original findings, my first focus will be to bring experimental support showing that cerebellar activity is affected by reward during motor adaptation. In the second part of the talk, I will focus on the time period preceding movement onset during motor adaptation task, and show how adaptive processes to contextual changes enable us to investigate the cognitive contribution of cerebellar network to produce efficient motor behavior. Using single trial analysis, we characterise relevant activity patterns in cerebellar network and establish a signature indicative of the certainty to produce efficient motor behavior in the near future. Finally, I will present exemples of movement disorders with cerebellar dysfunctions that affect cognitive aspects of motor control.