Neural underpinnings of the evidence accumulator.

Publication Year
2016

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

Gradual accumulation of evidence favoring one or another choice is considered a core component of many different types of decisions, and has been the subject of many neurophysiological studies in non-human primates. But its neural circuit mechanisms remain mysterious. Investigating it in rodents has recently become possible, facilitating perturbation experiments to delineate the relevant causal circuit, as well as the application of other tools more readily available in rodents. In addition, advances in stimulus design and analysis have aided studying the relevant neural encoding. In complement to ongoing non-human primate studies, these newly available model systems and tools place the field at an exciting time that suggests that the dynamical circuit mechanisms underlying accumulation of evidence could soon be revealed.

Journal
Curr Opin Neurobiol
Volume
37
Pages
149-157
Date Published
2016 Apr
ISSN Number
1873-6882
Alternate Journal
Curr Opin Neurobiol
PMCID
PMC5777584
PMID
26878969