Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex

The coordination of various brain regions achieves both volitional and forced motor control, but the role of the primary motor cortex in proficient running motor control remains unclear. This study trained mice to run at high performance (>10,000 rotations per day or >2,700 rotations p...

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Main Authors: Ryusei Abo, Mei Ishikawa, Rio Shinohara, Takayuki Michikawa, Itaru Imayoshi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Neural Circuits
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2025.1630932/full
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author Ryusei Abo
Mei Ishikawa
Rio Shinohara
Takayuki Michikawa
Takayuki Michikawa
Itaru Imayoshi
Itaru Imayoshi
Itaru Imayoshi
author_facet Ryusei Abo
Mei Ishikawa
Rio Shinohara
Takayuki Michikawa
Takayuki Michikawa
Itaru Imayoshi
Itaru Imayoshi
Itaru Imayoshi
author_sort Ryusei Abo
collection DOAJ
description The coordination of various brain regions achieves both volitional and forced motor control, but the role of the primary motor cortex in proficient running motor control remains unclear. This study trained mice to run at high performance (>10,000 rotations per day or >2,700 rotations per hour) using a running wheel, and then assessed the effects of the removal of bilateral cortical areas including the primary motor cortex on volitional (self-initiated) and forced (externally driven) running locomotion. The control sham-operated group revealed a quick recovery of volitional running, reaching half of the maximum daily rotation in 3.9 ± 2.6 days (n = 10). In contrast, the cortical injury group took a significantly longer period (7.0 ± 3.3 days, n = 15, p < 0.05) to reach half of the maximum volitional daily rotation, but recovered to preoperative levels in about two weeks. Furthermore, even 3 days after surgery to remove cortical regions, the running time on a treadmill moving at 35.3 cm/s, which is difficult for naïve mice to run on, was not significantly different from that in the sham-operated group. These results suggest that the intact primary motor cortex is not necessarily required to execute trained fast-running locomotion, but rather contributes to the spontaneity of running in mice.
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spelling doaj-art-cc8683c2cf2a497dae3c7c778410ec8a2025-08-20T04:00:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neural Circuits1662-51102025-08-011910.3389/fncir.2025.16309321630932Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortexRyusei Abo0Mei Ishikawa1Rio Shinohara2Takayuki Michikawa3Takayuki Michikawa4Itaru Imayoshi5Itaru Imayoshi6Itaru Imayoshi7Laboratory of Brain Development and Regeneration, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanLaboratory of Brain Development and Regeneration, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanLaboratory of Brain Development and Regeneration, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanLaboratory of Optical Biomedical Science, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanBiotechnological Optics Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, Saitama, JapanLaboratory of Brain Development and Regeneration, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanCenter for Living Systems Information Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanLaboratory of Deconstruction of Stem Cells, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanThe coordination of various brain regions achieves both volitional and forced motor control, but the role of the primary motor cortex in proficient running motor control remains unclear. This study trained mice to run at high performance (>10,000 rotations per day or >2,700 rotations per hour) using a running wheel, and then assessed the effects of the removal of bilateral cortical areas including the primary motor cortex on volitional (self-initiated) and forced (externally driven) running locomotion. The control sham-operated group revealed a quick recovery of volitional running, reaching half of the maximum daily rotation in 3.9 ± 2.6 days (n = 10). In contrast, the cortical injury group took a significantly longer period (7.0 ± 3.3 days, n = 15, p < 0.05) to reach half of the maximum volitional daily rotation, but recovered to preoperative levels in about two weeks. Furthermore, even 3 days after surgery to remove cortical regions, the running time on a treadmill moving at 35.3 cm/s, which is difficult for naïve mice to run on, was not significantly different from that in the sham-operated group. These results suggest that the intact primary motor cortex is not necessarily required to execute trained fast-running locomotion, but rather contributes to the spontaneity of running in mice.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2025.1630932/fullmotor controlcerebrumrunning wheeltreadmillcortical injury
spellingShingle Ryusei Abo
Mei Ishikawa
Rio Shinohara
Takayuki Michikawa
Takayuki Michikawa
Itaru Imayoshi
Itaru Imayoshi
Itaru Imayoshi
Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
Frontiers in Neural Circuits
motor control
cerebrum
running wheel
treadmill
cortical injury
title Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
title_full Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
title_fullStr Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
title_full_unstemmed Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
title_short Volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
title_sort volitional and forced running ability in mice lacking intact primary motor cortex
topic motor control
cerebrum
running wheel
treadmill
cortical injury
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2025.1630932/full
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AT takayukimichikawa volitionalandforcedrunningabilityinmicelackingintactprimarymotorcortex
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AT itaruimayoshi volitionalandforcedrunningabilityinmicelackingintactprimarymotorcortex
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