The lamprey belongs to the phylogenetically oldest group of vertebrates that diverged from
the mammalian evolutionary line 560 million years ago. A comparison between the lamprey …

In 1966, Shik, Severin and Orlovskii discovered that electrical stimulation of a region at the
junction between the midbrain and hindbrain elicited controlled walking and running in the …

How consciousness appeared much earlier in evolutionary history than is commonly
assumed, and why all vertebrates and perhaps even some invertebrates are conscious …

The group of nuclei within the basal ganglia of the forebrain is central to the control of
movement. We present data showing that the structure and function of the basal ganglia …

The primary driver of the evolution of the vertebrate nervous system has been the necessity
to move, along with the requirement of controlling the plethora of motor behavioural …

Dopamine neurons are classically known to modulate locomotion indirectly through
ascending projections to the basal ganglia that project down to brainstem locomotor …

The basal ganglia are critical for selecting actions and evaluating their outcome. Although
the circuitry for selection is well understood, how these nuclei evaluate the outcome of …

The dopaminergic system influences motor behavior, signals reward and novelty, and is an
essential component of the basal ganglia in all vertebrates including the lamprey, one of the …

The forebrain plays a critical role in a broad range of neural processes encompassing
sensory integration and initiation/selection of behaviour. The forebrain functions through an …

The contribution of dopamine (DA) to locomotor control is traditionally attributed to
ascending dopaminergic projections from the substantia nigra pars compacta and the …