REM sleep twitches rouse nascent cerebellar circuits: Implications for sensorimotor development

摘要: The cerebellum is critical for sensorimotor integration and undergoes extensive postnatal development. During the first week in rats, climbing fibers polyinnervate Purkinje cells and, before granule cell migration, mossy make transient, direct connections with cells. Activity-dependent processes are assumed to play a role development refinement of these other aspects cerebellar circuitry. However, sources patterning activity have not been described. We hypothesize that sensory feedback (i.e., reafference) from myoclonic twitches sleeping newborn rats prominent driver developing cerebellum. Here, 6-day-old we show exhibit substantial state-dependent changes complex simple spike activity—primarily during active sleep. In addition, this increases significantly bouts twitching. Moreover, surprising observation twitch-dependent at age suggests functional engagement parallel fiber system has developed. Based on results, propose twitching comprises unique class self-produced movement drives activity-dependent systems. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 1140–1153, 2015