Effect of bilateral lesion of fastigial nucleus on postural sensorimotor behavior of rats

Abstract

Objective: Cerebellum has been considered a motor structure, because the majority of the cerebellum’s outputs are parts of the motor system. The cerebellum plays a major role in motor learning by adapting and fine-tuning motor programs to make accurate movements through a trial-and-error process. All outputs from the cerebellum originate from the cerebellar deep nuclei. The fastigial nucleus receives input from the vermis and from cerebellar afferents that carry vestibular, proximal somatosensory, auditory and visual information. It projects to the vestibular nuclei and the reticular formation. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether bilateral electrolytic lesion of cerebellar fastigial nucleus can modulate postural sensorimotor task in rats. Methods: Using a stereotaxic frame, the fastigial nuclei were injured by a direct current of 2 mA at 100 volts for 10 seconds. Narrow beam-walking test, grid runway test and rotarod coordination test were the main measures of the experiment. Results: The alterations in behavior were only observed on the 10th day but not on 15th day. The changes perceived in behavior on 10th day may be due the inflammation or reduced metabolism in the damaged areas followed which may recovered on 15th day as inflammation subsides or the metabolism is normalized. Conclusion: These results indicate that cerebellar fastigial nucleus lesion can modulate the motor performance and motor coordination in rats and also indicate that the behavioral alteration can be recovered after cerebellar deep nuclei destruction.