Anatomical Evidence for Cerebellar and Basal Ganglia Involvement in Higher Cognitive Function

TLDR

The possibility that basal ganglia and cerebellar neurons innervate cortical areas involved in cognition has been controversial, yet area 46 of the prefrontal cortex is known to support spatial working memory. Retrograde transneuronal transport of HSV1 was employed to trace subcortical neurons projecting via the thalamus to area 46. HSV1 transport from area 46 labeled neurons in specific regions of the dentate nucleus and the internal segment of the globus pallidus, distinct from those labeled by motor cortex transport, providing anatomical evidence for basal ganglia and cerebellar involvement in higher cognition.

Abstract

The possibility that neurons in the basal ganglia and cerebellum innervate areas of the cerebral cortex that are involved in cognitive function has been a controversial subject. Here, retrograde transneuronal transport of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) was used to identify subcortical neurons that project via the thalamus to area 46 of the primate prefrontal cortex. This cortical area is known to be involved in spatial working memory. Many neurons in restricted regions of the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum and in the internal segment of the globus pallidus were labeled by transneuronal transport of virus from area 46. The location of these neurons was different from those labeled after HSV1 transport from motor areas of the cerebral cortex. These observations define an anatomical substrate for the involvement of basal ganglia and cerebellar output in higher cognitive function.