Small Networks Encode Decision-Making in Primary Auditory Cortex.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Auditory Cortex Research
• Neural Coding

Background:

• Primary auditory cortex (A1) enhances stimulus representation during sensory tasks.
• Neural encoding of decision-making within A1 remains poorly understood.
• A1 layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons exhibit diverse selectivity and connectivity, receiving prefrontal input.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate how A1 L2/3 neurons encode decision-making processes.
• Characterize the neural network dynamics underlying behavioral choice in auditory tasks.
• Examine the influence of attentional gain and sensory input on decision representation.

Main Methods:

• Two-photon imaging in mouse A1 L2/3 during a tone-detection task.
• Analysis of neural responses to target stimuli.
• Functional connectivity analysis (Granger causality, noise correlations) and neural decoding.

Main Results:

• A1 L2/3 neural responses encoded behavioral choice and showed attentional gain.
• Small, sparsely linked neural networks (4-5 neurons) emerged during task performance.
• Noise correlations exhibited both increases and decreases, suggesting complex network modulation.

Conclusions:

• Sensory-based decision-making involves dynamic, small neural networks in A1.
• These networks integrate sensory input, attentional gain, and behavioral choice signals.
• Findings shed light on the neural basis of auditory decision-making.