A13
Neuronal circuits underlying prodromal gait disturbances of Parkinson’s disease
Principal Investigators:
In this project we investigate the physiological and molecular basis of gait alterations in mouse models of Parkinson´s Disease (PD). Based on previous results we will focus on the contribution of motoneurons. Thus, we will analyze gait, electromyograms, and neural circuits of the limb muscles, in a mouse line deficient of Pink1 in motoneurons. We will also determine the underlying molecular cause of the observed selective vulnerability of
specific motoneuron by using single cell transcriptomics. The results of this project will teach us whether falsly networked and/or dysfunctional motoneurons are contributing to gait alterations in PD and might form the basis for developing better therapies to treat the disabling gait disturbances in PD patients.