The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a rostral brainstem structure that has extensive connections with basal ganglia nuclei and the thalamus. Through these the PPN contributes to neural circuits that effect cortical and hippocampal activity. The PPN also has descending connections to nuclei of the pontine and medullary reticular formations, deep cerebellar nuclei, and the spinal cord. Interest in the PPN has increased dramatically since it was first suggested to be a novel target for treating patients with Parkinson's disease who are refractory to medication. However, application of frequency-specific electrical stimulation of the PPN has produced inconsistent results. A central reason for this is that the PPN is not a heterogeneous structure. In this article, we review current knowledge of the neurochemical identity and topographical distribution of neurons within the PPN of both humans and experimental animals, focusing on studies that used neuronally selective targeting strategies to ascertain how the neurochemical heterogeneity of the PPN relates to its diverse functions in relation to movement and cognitive processes. If the therapeutic potential of the PPN is to be realized, it is critical to understand the complex structure-function relationships that exist here.

中文翻译：

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人脚桥骨核的细胞多样性：与健康和帕金森氏病方面的行为有关。

pedunculopontine核（PPN）是一个延髓的脑干结构，与基底神经节核和丘脑有着广泛的联系。通过这些，PPN有助于影响皮层和海马活动的神经回路。PPN还具有与桥脑核和延髓网状结构，小脑深核和脊髓的下降连接。自从首次提出将PPN用作治疗难治性帕金森氏病的新型靶标以来，对PPN的兴趣已大大增加。但是，PPN的特定频率电刺激的应用产生了不一致的结果。造成这种情况的主要原因是PPN不是异构结构。在这篇文章中，我们回顾了有关人类和实验动物的PPN中神经元的神经化学特征和拓扑分布的当前知识，重点研究了使用神经元选择性靶向策略确定PPN的神经化学异质性如何与其运动相关的多种功能相关的研究和认知过程。如果要实现PPN的治疗潜力，那么了解此处存在的复杂结构-功能关系至关重要。