Probing perceptual decisions in rodents

Carandini, M., Churchland, A. K. (July 2013) Probing perceptual decisions in rodents. Nature Neuroscience, 16 (7). pp. 824-831. ISSN 1097-6256

Abstract

The study of perceptual decision-making offers insight into how the brain uses complex, sometimes ambiguous information to guide actions. Understanding the underlying processes and their neural bases requires that one pair recordings and manipulations of neural activity with rigorous psychophysics. Though this research has been traditionally performed in primates, it seems increasingly promising to pursue it at least partly in mice and rats. However, rigorous psychophysical methods are not yet as developed for these rodents as they are for primates. Here we give a brief overview of the sensory capabilities of rodents and of their cortical areas devoted to sensation and decision. We then review methods of psychophysics, focusing on the technical issues that arise in their implementation in rodents. These methods represent a rich set of challenges and opportunities.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: organism description > animal behavior
organism description > animal behavior > decision making
organism description > animal behavior > perception
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Churchland lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: July 2013
Date Deposited: 16 Aug 2013 16:39
Last Modified: 03 Dec 2014 15:19
PMCID: PMC4105200
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/28548

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