Action specification in motor circuits

Every time you reach for a cup of coffee or catch a falling object, your brain coordinates the speed, timing, and accuracy of that movement in milliseconds—yet the neural circuits that make this possible remain poorly understood. This project aims to identify the specific circuit mechanisms that control voluntary limb movements, focusing on how two major brain pathways—the cortico-basal ganglia and cortico-cerebellar-thalamocortical circuits—work together through a central hub in the ventral thalamus. The researchers will combine advanced optical recording, viral-based neural manipulation, computer modelling, and quantitative behavioural analysis in mice to determine how these circuits control limb kinematics, how they drive motor learning and adaptation when the environment or sensory feedback changes, and which mechanisms generalise across different forelimb movements. This is fundamental science with no immediate practical application. However, a deeper understanding of how the brain specifies action could eventually inform treatments for movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, or ataxia, where these circuits malfunction. It also lays groundwork for building a biophysically detailed model of motor control—a long-term goal that could one day improve neuroprosthetics or rehabilitation strategies.