Neuronal substrates and functional importance of population dichotomy in the external globus pallidus. (360G-Wellcome-101821_Z_13_Z)

The external globus pallidus (GPe) is an important part of the basal ganglia, a network of brain regions that are essential for proper movement and the learning of routine behaviours. It has long been thought that all nerve cells in the GPe are similar in the molecules they make and in the ways they produce electrical signals and connect with other nerve cells in the brain. However, new research shows that the GPe is instead made up of two very different sets of nerve cells. In this research p rogramme, we aim to explain the necessity and nature of this division in the GPe. We will reveal how different types of GPe nerve cell are generated during brain development, how they are wired into brain circuits, and how and when they produce electrical signals. We will also change the electrical activity of the different sets of nerve cells to understand whether and how they make different contributions to behaviour. Altogether, our research will provide new and much-needed insights into h ow GPe nerve cells and their partners in the basal ganglia help us to control our movements.