# The role of cerebellar output in the control of motor coordination

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2023 · $35,875

## Abstract

Project Summary
Individuals with damage to the cerebellum exhibit debilitating deficits in motor coordination, characterized by
oscillatory movements around an endpoint. The anterior interposed nucleus (IntA) is one of the main output
structures from the cerebellum, with inactivation of IntA resulting in dysmetria and an instability of reaching
movements. Recent findings from the lab have revealed the role of IntA as a controller of reach endpoints,
facilitating precise limb movements through adaptive scaling of firing rate. While considerable progress has
been made in understanding the role of the cerebellum in motor control, many questions remain concerning
the signals encoded within IntA neurons during limb movement and how they contribute to the production of
coordinated movements. Investigating the firing rate code of IntA neurons during complex motor tasks will help
to elucidate the role of the cerebellum in anticipatory control and motor learning. To address this gap in
knowledge, this proposal utilizes novel behavioral paradigms for skilled reaching in mice, cell type specific in
vivo recordings during behavior, and causal optogenetic manipulations of cerebellar output. I will first
determine how IntA activity is modulated to ensure endpoint precision to different targets. To do so, I will
examine IntA neural dynamics, both in magnitude and timing, and their relationship to key kinematic
parameters of reach precision. Secondly, I will test whether the anticipatory control signals of IntA can adapt to
account for reach perturbations. Spanning circuit and behavioral levels, this proposal aims to understand the
role of cerebellar output in anticipatory motor control for coordinated movement.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10601599
- **Project number:** 1F31NS130867-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Courtney I Dobrott
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $35,875
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-02-01 → 2026-07-22

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10601599

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10601599, The role of cerebellar output in the control of motor coordination (1F31NS130867-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10601599. Licensed CC0.

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