Abstract
Lesions of the ventro-lateral thalamic nucleus (VL) have been found to have little effect on the execution of well learned movements, whereas they affect motor learning. In the present study we investigated the role of VL in the phase of cerebral reorganization that takes place after damage to the latero-posterior thalamic nucleus (LP) (relay of the visual extrageniculate pathway) had perturbed the execution of a previously learned movement. Cats were trained to perform a reaching movement towards a moving target-spot. They underwent bilateral brain lesions after performance had stabilized. A VL lesion induced a very transient increase of reaction time. A LP lesion severely disrupted accuracy and reaction time but was followed by full functional recovery. However, when both lesions were performed together, the deficits, although similar to those induced by LP lesion, were more pronounced and postoperative training did not lead to full compensation of the visuo-motor deficit. Furthermore, the recovery of accuracy crucially depended upon regular testing. These results support the involvement of VL in motor learning or re-learning.
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© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Fabre-Thorpe, M., Levesque, F. (1991). On the Role of the Ventrolateral Thalamus in Motor Recovery after Brain Damage. In: Requin, J., Stelmach, G.E. (eds) Tutorials in Motor Neuroscience. NATO ASI Series, vol 62. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3626-6_49
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3626-6_49
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