Kaufman, M. T., Churchland, M. M., Ryu, S. I., Shenoy, K. V. (February 2014) Cortical activity in the null space: permitting preparation without movement. Nature Neuroscience, 17 (3). pp. 440-448. ISSN 1097-6256
Abstract
Neural circuits must perform computations and then selectively output the results to other circuits. Yet synapses do not change radically at millisecond timescales. A key question then is: how is communication between neural circuits controlled? In motor control, brain areas directly involved in driving movement are active well before movement begins. Muscle activity is some readout of neural activity, yet it remains largely unchanged during preparation. Here we find that during preparation, while the monkey holds still, changes in motor cortical activity cancel out at the level of these population readouts. Motor cortex can thereby prepare the movement without prematurely causing it. Further, we found evidence that this mechanism also operates in dorsal premotor cortex, largely accounting for how preparatory activity is attenuated in primary motor cortex. Selective use of 'output-null' vs. 'output-potent' patterns of activity may thus help control communication to the muscles and between these brain areas.
| Item Type: | Paper |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | organism description > animal behavior organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > tissues types and functions > neural networks organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons > neuronal circuits organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons > neuronal circuits organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons > neuronal circuits organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > sub-cellular tissues: types and functions > synapse |
| CSHL Authors: | |
| Communities: | CSHL labs > Churchland lab |
| Depositing User: | Matt Covey |
| Date: | 2 February 2014 |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Feb 2014 21:47 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jul 2021 19:47 |
| PMCID: | PMC3955357 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/29494 |
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