Secondary motor cortex: Broadcasting and biasing animal's decisions through long-range circuits.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience

Background:

• The medial secondary motor cortex (MOs or M2) is located on the dorsal aspect of the rodent medial frontal cortex.
• Previous research proposed MOs functions to link antecedent conditions (sensory stimuli, prior choices) to impending actions.

Purpose of the Study:

• This review focuses on the long-range pathways connecting MOs with other cortical and subcortical regions.
• To elucidate the role of these circuits in information processing and behavioral output.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on MOs connectivity.
• Analysis of functional roles attributed to specific MOs circuits.

Main Results:

• Identified three key MOs circuits: (1) connections with visual/auditory cortices for predictive coding, (2) connections with motor cortex/brainstem for movement modulation, and (3) connections with retrosplenial cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and basal ganglia for reward-based learning.
• These circuits enable MOs to broadcast choice signals and influence decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Long-range circuits are critical for MOs function in integrating sensory input, motor control, and learning.
• MOs plays a pivotal role in adaptive behavior by biasing decision-making processes through its extensive network connections.