bims-climfi 2026-08-09 papers

Issue of 2026–08–09
two papers selected by
Jun Maruta, Mount Sinai Health System

Neuron. 2026 Aug 07. pii: S0896-6273(26)00572-6. [Epub ahead of print]

Subtypes of neurons in the cerebellar cortex.

Wade G Regehr, Evan Z Macosko, Court A Hull.

For decades, the cerebellar cortex was viewed as a simple circuit comprised of repeated modules containing only a few basic cell types. However, discoveries made possible by modern molecular and physiological approaches have challenged this traditional view. In particular, single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) revealed that every major class of cerebellar neuron consists of multiple transcriptionally distinct subtypes. Here, we explore how mapping and functionally characterizing this transcriptomic diversity are fundamentally rewriting our understanding of neural computation in the cerebellum. We focus initially on molecular layer interneurons (MLIs), which exemplify the power of this approach: transcriptomics divides MLIs into distinct subtypes, which were subsequently discovered to perform entirely opposing computational roles, dictating Purkinje cell firing and regulating dendritic calcium signals critical for synaptic plasticity and learning. This same multi-modal "playbook" can now be leveraged to determine how subtypes of granule cells, Golgi cells, Purkinje layer interneurons, Purkinje cells, and unipolar brush cells are specialized to meet distinct computational needs that allow the cerebellum to contribute to a wide range of behaviors. Ultimately, the cellular diversity unmasked in the cerebellum offers a uniquely tractable model for learning the rules by which molecular diversification of cell types equips brain circuits with the computational flexibility needed to drive complex behaviors.

Keywords: Golgi cell; Purkinje cell; Purkinje layer interneuron; circuit; climbing fiber; disinhibition; granule cell; interneuron; molecular layer interneuron; synchrony; unipolar bush cell

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2026.07.017

Nat Rev Neurosci. 2026 Aug 06.

Cerebellar rhythms: mechanisms, functions and translational opportunities.

Danny Adrian Spampinato, Annibale Antonioni, Egidio D'Angelo, Giacomo Koch.

Cerebellar rhythms provide frequency-specific support for motor, cognitive and affective functions. These oscillations are not epiphenomenal but rather dynamically regulated, spatially organized control signals that contribute to the coordination of prediction, error correction, learning and internal model updating. By synchronizing neuronal activity across cerebellar and distributed brain networks at multiple timescales, cerebellar rhythms enable precise and adaptable behaviour and coordination across neural systems. Accordingly, they offer biologically grounded targets for network-level diagnostics and therapeutic neuromodulation. At the circuit level, cerebellar rhythms within distinct frequency bands, ranging from theta and beta to gamma and very high-frequency oscillations, arise from specific microcircuit mechanisms within the inferior olive, the granular and molecular layers of the cerebellar cortex, and the deep cerebellar nuclei. These rhythms structure spike timing and help shape synaptic plasticity windows, forming a frequency-organized substrate for learning and control. Here we describe a frequency-function-modulation framework that links cerebellar oscillations to their behavioural roles and to neuromodulatory interventions. By integrating evidence from animal studies, computational models and non-invasive stimulation studies, we position cerebellar oscillations as a bridge between cerebellar circuit dynamics and systems-level coordination, thereby providing a mechanistic rationale for precision neuromodulation across motor and cognitive domains in neurological and psychiatric conditions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-026-01072-y