Biased competition in the absence of input bias revealed through corticostriatal computation

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1812535116
• Publication Date: 2019-04-09T00:34:28Z
• Authors: Salva Ardid; Jason S. Sherfey; Michelle M. McCarthy; Joachim Hass; Benjamin R. Pittm...; Nancy Kopell
• Keywords: Neurons; 0303 health sciences; Models, Neurological; Prefrontal Cortex; Prefrontal cortex; Corpus Striatum; Neural circuit modeling; Spiny projection neurons; 03 medical and health sciences; Rule-based decisions; FISICA APLICADA; Neural Pathways; Brain rhythms

Classical accounts of biased competition require an input bias to resolve the between neuronal ensembles driving downstream processing. However, flexible and reliable selection behaviorally relevant can occur with unbiased stimulation: striatal D1 D2 spiny projection neurons (SPNs) receive balanced cortical input, yet their activity determines choice GO NO-GO pathways in basal ganglia. We here present a corticostriatal model identifying three mechanisms that rely on physiological asymmetries effect rate- time-coded presence inputs. First, tonic strength which one two SPN phenotypes exhibits higher mean firing rate. Second, low-strength oscillatory inputs induce rate SPNs but coherence SPNs. Third, high-strength oscillating at distinct frequencies preferentially activate or populations. Of these mechanisms, only latter accommodates observed rhythmic supporting rule-based decision making prefrontal cortex.