Focus on the pedunculopontine nucleus. Consensus review from the May 2018 brainstem society meeting in Washington, DC, USA.
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is located in the mesopontine tegmentum and is best delimited by a group of large cholinergic neurons adjacent to the decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle. This part of the brain, populated by many other neuronal groups, is a crossroads for many important functions. Good evidence relates the PPN to control of reflex reactions, sleep-wake cycles, posture and gait. However, the precise role of the PPN in all these functions has been controversial and there still are uncertainties in the functional anatomy and physiology of the nucleus. It is difficult to grasp the extent of the influence of the PPN, not only because of its varied functions and projections, but also because of the controversies arising from them. One controversy is its relationship to the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). In this regard, the PPN has become a new target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of parkinsonian gait disorders, including freezing of gait. This review is intended to indicate what is currently known, shed some light on the controversies that have arisen, and to provide a framework for future research.
['Garcia-Rill|E|E|', 'Saper|C B|CB|', 'Rye|David B|DB|', 'Kofler|M|M|', 'Nonnekes|J|J|', 'Lozano|A|A|', 'Valls-Solé|J|J|', 'Hallett|M|M|']
D001933:Brain Stem D003226:Congresses as Topic D032921:Consensus D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation D004219:District of Columbia D006801:Humans D010300:Parkinson Disease D045042:Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus D065808:Prepulse Inhibition D012894:Sleep Stages D012955:Societies, Medical
Brainstem Posture Gait Arousal Basal ganglia Blink reflex CaMKII Calcium channels Gamma activity N-type P/Q-type Prepulse inhibition Sleep Startle reflex cAMP