Pyramidal cell types drive functionally distinct cortical activity patterns during decision-making

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

Abstract Understanding how cortical circuits generate complex behavior requires investigating the cell types that comprise them. Functional differences across pyramidal neuron (PyN) types have been observed within cortical areas, but it is not known whether these local differences extend throughout the cortex, nor whether additional differences emerge when larger-scale dynamics are considered. We used genetic and retrograde labeling to target pyramidal tract (PT), intratelencephalic (IT) and corticostriatal projection neurons and measured their cortex-wide activity. Each PyN type drove unique neural dynamics, both at the local and cortex-wide scale. Cortical activity and optogenetic inactivation during an auditory decision task also revealed distinct functional roles: all PyNs in parietal cortex were recruited during perception of the auditory stimulus, but, surprisingly, PT neurons had the largest causal role. In frontal cortex, all PyNs were required for accurate choices but showed distinct choice-tuning. Our results reveal that rich, cell-type-specific cortical dynamics shape perceptual decisions.

Authors 12

1. Simon Musall

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Julich;

   Forschungszentrum Julich

2. Xiaonan Richard Sun

   Hofstra University · Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell;

   Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

3. Hemanth Mohan

   Duke University

   Affiliation as printed

   Duke University;

   Duke University

4. Xu An

   Duke University

   Affiliation as printed

   Duke University;

   Duke University

5. Steven Gluf

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

   Affiliation as printed

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory;

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

6. Shu-Jing Li

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

   Affiliation as printed

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory;

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

7. Rhonda Drewes

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

   Affiliation as printed

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory;

   Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

8. Emma Cravo Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University;

   RWTH Aachen University

9. Irene Lenzi

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Julich;

   Forschungszentrum Julich

10. Chaoqun Yin

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Affiliation as printed

    David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles;

    David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles

11. Björn M. Kampa Aachen

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    RWTH Aachen University;

    RWTH Aachen University

12. Anne K. Churchland corresponding

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Affiliation as printed

    David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles