A new perspective on decision-related activity across the dorsal stream

A new perspective on decision-related activity across the dorsal stream
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This is a past event

Alex Huk, Departments of Neuroscience & Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin

Translational Neuroscience Seminar Programme

Abstract: A large and growing body of work has focused on neural correlates of perceptual decisions in the dorsal stream of primates. Specifically, neurons in area MT are thought to provide the sensory evidence critical for performing direction-discrimination tasks. Then, neurons in area LIP are thought to time-integrate these sensory signals coming from MT, as LIP responses mimic the accumulation of evidence. We have begun to test this MT-LIP framework by performing paired recordings of multiple neurons in both areas simultaneously, relating brain and behavior through a shared reverse correlation framework, and using reversible inactivations in both areas. To date, the constellation of results confirms the role of MT in sensory processing, but challenge the idea that LIP integrates the MT signals to support decision formation. LIP's relation to decisions may be considerably more enigmatic than is usually postulated.

Speaker
Alex Huk, Departments of Neuroscience & Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin
Hosted by
Dr Peter Neri
Venue
Level 7 Conference Room, IMS