Mapping sensory-motor cerebellar circuits for adaptive behaviour

Even the simple task of grasping a cup depends on the well-timed coordination of muscle contractions based on sensory input. Sensory-motor signals required for similar adaptive movements are processed by Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, a brain region essential for motor control. Despite their ethological significance, the neural circuits governing this processing remain unknown. I will investigate how the circuits converging on Purkinje neurons operate during adaptive behaviour. I will validate and deploy innovative tracers to visualise Purkinje presynaptic connectivity, and combine them with in vivo imaging and optogenetics to determine which sensory and motor signals engage these inputs. Finally, I will train mice to respond to a sensory stimulus with a forelimb movement, and establish which inputs trigger Purkinje neurons with the appropriate timing. This project will elucidate the functional architecture of cerebellar sensory-motor connectivity, providing the foundation to understand how cerebellar motor control is disrupted in disease.