小柯机器人

美国斯坦福大学医学院Mark A. Krasnow团队发现小鼠发音和音量控制的脑干回路。相关论文于2023年11月23日在线发表在《自然—神经科学》杂志上。

研究人员在小鼠脑干疑后核（RAm）中发现了约160个神经肽前体Nts（神经紧张素）表达神经元亚群，它们在新生鼠隔离啼哭和成年社交发声时都会被强力激活。这些神经元的活动是发声的必要和充分条件，并能双向控制音量。RAm Nts神经元可投射到所有参与发音的脑干和脊髓运动中枢，并激活发音和音量控制所必需的喉部肌肉和呼气肌肉。因此，RAm Nts神经元构成了发出声音和控制音量的大脑回路核心，而这正是发声交流的两大基础。

研究人员表示，哺乳动物的发声对交流至关重要，是通过发音过程产生的，在这个过程中，呼气肌肉迫使空气通过喉部绷紧的声带，声带振动产生声音。尽管发音非常重要，但人们对大脑中控制发音的运动回路仍然知之甚少。

附：英文原文

Title: A brainstem circuit for phonation and volume control in mice

Author: Veerakumar, Avin, Head, Joshua P., Krasnow, Mark A.

Issue&Volume: 2023-11-23

Abstract: Mammalian vocalizations are critical for communication and are produced through the process of phonation, in which expiratory muscles force air through the tensed vocal folds of the larynx, which vibrate to produce sound. Despite the importance of phonation, the motor circuits in the brain that control it remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a subpopulation of ~160 neuropeptide precursor Nts (neurotensin)-expressing neurons in the mouse brainstem nucleus retroambiguus (RAm) that are robustly activated during both neonatal isolation cries and adult social vocalizations. The activity of these neurons is necessary and sufficient for vocalization and bidirectionally controls sound volume. RAm Nts neurons project to all brainstem and spinal cord motor centers involved in phonation and activate laryngeal and expiratory muscles essential for phonation and volume control. Thus, RAm Nts neurons form the core of a brain circuit for making sound and controlling its volume, which are two foundations of vocal communication.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01478-2

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01478-2

Nature Neuroscience：《自然—神经科学》，创刊于1998年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：28.771
官方网址：https://www.nature.com/neuro/
投稿链接：https://mts-nn.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex