The zona incerta negatively regulates the red nucleus during movement cued by sound signals

Abstract

Auditory signal-cued behaviors rely on a sophisticated neural network. While extensive research has focused on auditory processing and decision-making, the neural circuits governing motor coordination for goal-directed actions remain poorly understood. The red nucleus (RN) is essential for motor coordination, whereas the zona incerta (ZI) plays a key role in modulating sensorimotor circuits. Using tetrode recordings and optogenetics, we investigated the ZI-RN circuit’s role in an auditory-cued decision task. RN neurons were preferentially activated when mice moved to the contralateral port for a reward, and optogenetic activation biased choices toward the contralateral side. Notably, parvalbuminpositive ZI neurons projected to the RN and negatively regulated movement coordination. These findings reveal an inhibitory ZI-RN circuit that shapes auditory-cued, goal-directed movement.