The cerebellum shapes motions by encoding motor frequencies with precision and cross-individual uniformity

Understanding brain behaviour encoding or designing neuroprosthetics requires identifying precise, consistent neural algorithms across individuals. However, cerebral microstructures and activities are individually variable, posing challenges for identifying precise codes. Here, despite cerebral variability, we report that the cerebellum shapes motor kinematics by encoding dynamic motor frequencies with remarkable numerical precision and cross-individual uniformity. Using in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics in mice, we confirm that deep cerebellar neurons encode frequencies using populational tuning of neuronal firing probabilities, creating cerebellar oscillations and motions with matched frequencies. The mechanism is consistently presented in self-generated rhythmic and non-rhythmic motions triggered by a vibrational platform or skilled tongue movements of licking in all tested mice with cross-individual uniformity. The precision and uniformity allowed us to engineer complex motor kinematics with designed frequencies. We further validate the frequency-coding function of the human cerebellum using cerebellar electroencephalography recordings and alternating current stimulation during voluntary tapping tasks. Our findings reveal a cerebellar algorithm for motor kinematics with precision and uniformity, the mathematical foundation for a brain-computer interface for motor control.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Biomedical Engineering
Published
2025-05-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-025-01409-5
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Vestibular and auditory disorders
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.68

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article

The cerebellum shapes motions by encoding motor frequencies with precision and cross-individual uniformity

Wen-Chuan Liu, Shun‐Ying Chen, Liang‐Yin Lu, Chung‐Chuan Lo et al.
2 citations
Nature Biomedical Engineering
Vestibular and auditory disorders
1.68
article

The cerebellum shapes motions by encoding motor frequencies with precision and cross-individual uniformity

Wen-Chuan Liu, Shun‐Ying Chen, Liang‐Yin Lu, Chung‐Chuan Lo, Ming‐Kai Pan, Jye‐Chang Lee, Ami Kumar, Sheng‐Han Kuo, Ke-Chu Fang, Shun‐Chi Wu, C. Liu, Peng Chen, Yimei Wang, I‐Chen Lee, Ting-Yu Liang
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Understanding brain behaviour encoding or designing neuroprosthetics requires identifying precise, consistent neural algorithms across individuals. However, cerebral microstructures and activities are individually variable, posing challenges for identifying precise codes. Here, despite cerebral variability, we report that the cerebellum shapes motor kinematics by encoding dynamic motor frequencies with remarkable numerical precision and cross-individual uniformity. Using in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics in mice, we confirm that deep cerebellar neurons encode frequencies using populational tuning of neuronal firing probabilities, creating cerebellar oscillations and motions with matched frequencies. The mechanism is consistently presented in self-generated rhythmic and non-rhythmic motions triggered by a vibrational platform or skilled tongue movements of licking in all tested mice with cross-individual uniformity. The precision and uniformity allowed us to engineer complex motor kinematics with designed frequencies. We further validate the frequency-coding function of the human cerebellum using cerebellar electroencephalography recordings and alternating current stimulation during voluntary tapping tasks. Our findings reveal a cerebellar algorithm for motor kinematics with precision and uniformity, the mathematical foundation for a brain-computer interface for motor control.

Nature Biomedical EngineeringVol. 9(11)
National Taiwan University (TW), National Tsing Hua University (TW), Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica (TW), National Taiwan University Hospital (TW), Columbia University (US)
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Academia Sinica, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, National Health Research Institutes, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University
Openalex Percentile: Top 16%
Vestibular and auditory disorders
1.68
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