英国伦敦大学学院Nicholas A. Steinmetz等研究人员解析了在小鼠大脑中选择、行动和参与的编码神经元所处的空间分布。相关论文2019年11月27日在线发表在《自然》上。
研究人员表示，视觉、选择、行动和行为参与可能来自分布在大脑不同区域的神经元活动。
研究人员描述了这些过程背后的神经元的空间分布。他们使用Neuropixels探针记录了执行视觉识别任务的小鼠42个大脑区域中约30000个神经元。当小鼠开始动作时，几乎所有区域的神经元都会发生非特异性反应。相比之下，编码视觉刺激和即将发生的选择的神经元占据了新皮层、基底神经节和中脑的受限区域。选择信号很少，并且出现的时间跨区域不明显。中脑神经元在对侧选择之前被激活，而在同侧选择之前被抑制，而前脑神经元可能更喜欢任一侧。全脑的刺激前活动可预测参与单个试验和整个任务的过程，参与过程中皮层下皮层活动增强，但新皮层活动受到抑制。
这些结果揭示了在小鼠大脑中编码行为相关变量神经元分布的组织原理。
附：英文原文
Title: Distributed coding of choice, action and engagement across the mouse brain
Author: Nicholas A. Steinmetz, Peter Zatka-Haas, Matteo Carandini, Kenneth D. Harris
Issue&Volume: 2019-11-27
Abstract: Vision, choice, action and behavioural engagement arise from neuronal activity that may be distributed across brain regions. Here we delineate the spatial distribution of neurons underlying these processes. We used Neuropixels probes1,2 to record from approximately 30,000 neurons in 42 brain regions of mice performing a visual discrimination task3. Neurons in nearly all regions responded non-specifically when the mouse initiated an action. By contrast, neurons encoding visual stimuli and upcoming choices occupied restricted regions in the neocortex, basal ganglia and midbrain. Choice signals were rare and emerged with indistinguishable timing across regions. Midbrain neurons were activated before contralateral choices and were suppressed before ipsilateral choices, whereas forebrain neurons could prefer either side. Brain-wide pre-stimulus activity predicted engagement in individual trials and in the overall task, with enhanced subcortical but suppressed neocortical activity during engagement. These results reveal organizing principles for the distribution of neurons encoding behaviourally relevant variables across the mouse brain. Recordings from 30,000 neurons in 42 brain regions are used to delineate the spatial distribution of neuronal activity underlying vision, choice, action and behavioural engagement in mice.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1787-x
Source:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1787-x
Nature：《自然》，创刊于1869年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：69.504
官方网址：http://www.nature.com/
投稿链接：http://www.nature.com/authors/submit_manuscript.html
本期文章：《自然》：Online/在线发表
