| First Author | Bourane S | Year | 2015 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 160 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 503-15 |
| PubMed ID | 25635458 | Mgi Jnum | J:219791 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5629759 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cell.2015.01.011 |
| Citation | Bourane S, et al. (2015) Identification of a spinal circuit for light touch and fine motor control. Cell 160(3):503-15 |
| abstractText | Sensory circuits in the dorsal spinal cord integrate and transmit multiple cutaneous sensory modalities including the sense of light touch. Here, we identify a population of excitatory interneurons (INs) in the dorsal horn that are important for transmitting innocuous light touch sensation. These neurons express the ROR alpha (RORalpha) nuclear orphan receptor and are selectively innervated by cutaneous low threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMs). Targeted removal of RORalpha INs in the dorsal spinal cord leads to a marked reduction in behavioral responsiveness to light touch without affecting responses to noxious and itch stimuli. RORalpha IN-deficient mice also display a selective deficit in corrective foot movements. This phenotype, together with our demonstration that the RORalpha INs are innervated by corticospinal and vestibulospinal projection neurons, argues that the RORalpha INs direct corrective reflex movements by integrating touch information with descending motor commands from the cortex and cerebellum. |
