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Decoding the neural dynamics of free choice in humans
Thomas Thiery1, Anne-Lise Saive1, Etienne Combrisson1,2
1Cognitive & Computational Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Québec, Canada.
Plos Biology
|December 10, 2020
Summary
Humans make free choices using sustained high-frequency neural activity in the frontoparietal cortex. This brain mechanism, involving high-gamma (HG) neural activity, helps differentiate freely chosen actions from planned ones.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Decision-making involves neural activity in frontal and parietal cortices.
- Electrophysiological mechanisms of human free choice are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the electrophysiological brain mechanisms underlying free choice in humans.
- Differentiate neural activity related to free choice versus instructed actions.
Main Methods:
- Used intracerebral electroencephalography (EEG) in epilepsy patients performing a delayed oculomotor task.
- Applied classification analysis to local field potential (LFP) signals, focusing on high-gamma (HG) activity (60-140 Hz).
Main Results:
- Sustained high-gamma (HG) neural activity in frontal and parietal areas distinguished free choice from instructed action planning on a single-trial basis.
- Free-choice trials showed delayed and prolonged HG activity during the delay period compared to instructed saccades.
- The temporal dynamics of HG activity reflected deliberation, not just memory maintenance.
Conclusions:
- Provides the first direct human electrophysiological evidence for sustained high-frequency neural activation in free choice.
- Sustained high-frequency neural activation in the frontoparietal cortex mediates the process of freely choosing among behavioral alternatives.
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