The Secondary Motor Cortex-striatum Circuit Contributes to Suppressing Inappropriate Responses in Perceptual Decision...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

• The secondary motor cortex (M2) is involved in choice-related information and guiding actions.
• The dorsal striatum (DS) also plays a role in decision-making.
• The precise role of M2 modulation of DS signals in perceptual decision-making remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how M2 influences DS signals to affect perceptual decision-making.
• To elucidate the function of the M2-to-DS pathway in suppressing inappropriate responses.

Main Methods:

• Mice performed a visual Go/No-Go task.
• Inactivation of M2 projections to the DS was performed.
• Neural activity in M2 and DS was recorded.
• Responses of direct and indirect pathway striatal neurons were measured and manipulated.

Main Results:

• Inactivating M2 projections to the DS increased false alarm rates in the Go/No-Go task.
• M2 neuron choice signals correlated with behavioral performance.
• Inactivation of M2 projections reduced choice signals in the DS.
• Early responses of indirect pathway striatal neurons to No-Go stimuli were critical; inactivating them increased false alarms.

Conclusions:

• The M2-to-DS pathway is essential for suppressing inappropriate responses during perceptual decision-making.
• This pathway influences choice signals within the dorsal striatum.
• Specific roles of direct and indirect striatal pathways in M2-mediated decision-making were identified.