CRCNS Research Proposal: Interregional interactions underlying self-initiated action timing

The goal of this project is to develop a deeper understanding of how the brain decides exactly when to act. Both humans and non-human animals must make split-second choices about when to move without any external cues to guide them. For example, a predator must time its pounce perfectly to successfully catch its prey, or else it may go hungry. To understand the complex brain networks that control action timing, the research team plans to measure the brain activity of mice while spontaneous decisions to engage in motor action are made. The team uses highly targeted light pulses to temporarily pause activity in specific brain areas, which helps map exactly how different regions communicate to make timing decisions. The project aims to address fundamental questions about decision timing during natural behavior, which could help uncover the root causes of decision-making deficits in human disease. The results from the project can also provide new ways of improving action selection and timing in artificial intelligence and robotic systems. This project investigates the neural dynamics underlying self-initiated action timing, specifically testing competing theoretical models regarding how decision-related signals are generated in the brain. The primary goal is to determine whether the deterministic and stochastic components of action timing originate from a hierarchically organized network through which signals flow progressively, or if they emerge from a broadly coordinated, distributed network. Additionally, the project seeks to robustly test the existence and function of multi-region ensembles, which are distinct, correlated groups of neurons that span multiple cortical regions and may serve as important functional elements for interregional interactions like the integration of cortical input by the striatum. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.