Study unveils connectivity underlying motor cortex activity during goal-directed behaviour
A new study published in Nature by Dr. Arseny Finkelstein in collaboration with Dr. Ran Darshan from the Department of Neuroscience and Brain Disorders and international collaborators provides an unprecedented glimpse into how the brain organizes and coordinates goal-directed movements.
Using advanced optical imaging and stimulation technologies, the researchers recorded and mapped the activity and connectivity of more than 100,000 neurons in the motor cortex of mice as they performed natural tongue-reaching movements to obtain water rewards. Unlike many previous studies that relied on extensively trained animals, this task required virtually no training, allowing the team to examine how the motor cortex functions during natural behavior.
The study revealed that motor cortex neurons encode both the location of a movement target and the outcome of the action, including whether the expected reward was received. The researchers also discovered a finely organized network architecture in which neurons with similar functions are more likely to be connected to one another.
Most notably, the team identified rare but highly connected "hub neurons" that act as local coordinators within the network. Although these neurons were less specialized for particular movement goals, they exerted a strong influence on surrounding neurons and helped strengthen the brain's representation of movement targets.
These findings advance our understanding of how the brain links actions with outcomes and may provide a foundation for studying learning, decision-making, and motor disorders.
Read the full paper:
Connectivity underlying motor cortex activity during goal-directed behaviour
Published in: Nature
Authors: Arseny Finkelstein, Kayvon Daie, Márton Rózsa, Ran Darshan & Karel Svoboda
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