Purkinje cells translate subjective salience into readiness to act and choice performance

Abstract

Highlights d Cerebellar encoding of sensorimotor and cognitive modalities depends on context d Purkinje cell complex spike activity reflects perceived salience of sensory inputs d Timing of complex spikes shifts when a readiness to act is required d Simple spike modulation adheres to choice performance and motor activity

The olivary input to the cerebellum dissociates sensory events from movement plans

“…The input from the inferior olive to the cerebellum conveys information that guides learning ( 39, 40 ), but this same input also provides information about diverse sensory and motor events that are not errors ( 7, 10, 12 ). In our task, we observed that the olivary input to P-cells was modulated following the onset of visual targets, and before the onset of saccades towards those targets ( 20, 41 ).…”

“…However, these rate changes are not specific to erroneous movements ( 6 ). Rather, the CS rates change in response to a variety of sensory events ( 7 – 12 ), and before a variety of movements ( 13 – 17 ).…”

“…For example, CS rates are modulated by the touch of a limb ( 18 ), an air puff to the face ( 9, 10, 19 ), or sudden presentation of a visual stimulus ( 8, 20 ), signaling that a salient sensory event has occurred ( 9, 12 ), particularly one that is rewarding ( 11 ). Moreover, CS rates are modulated before the onset of motor events such as walking ( 15 ), licking ( 13 ), reaching ( 14, 16, 17 ), and moving the wrist ( 21 ).…”

Novel cerebello-amygdala connections provide missing link between cerebellum and limbic system

“…The circuit, which could account for the previously observed short-latency cerebello-amygdala responses 37 , could convey cerebellar information about prediction, salience and/or valence to BLA, shaped by the intrinsic, synaptic and integrative properties of the nodes. Indeed, the cerebellum is known to encode such information 8,[69][70][71][72][73] , which is also seen in BLA 35,[74][75][76][77][78][79] , and which is thought to be used by CM and PF during aversive conditioning, observational learning and reward-seeking behavior 30,46,[80][81][82][83] .…”

Time and tide of cerebellar synchrony

“…( 6 ) have provided compelling evidence that dynamic patterning of CS synchrony may allow for different combinations of muscles to be used to facilitate the timing and sequence of movements. Indeed, synchronized patterns of CS activity may contribute not only to the initiation of relatively simple reflex movements ( 7 , 8 ) but also to more complex types of behaviors that require extensive training over time ( 9 – 12 ). Moreover, recent studies raise the possibility that CS signaling, and thereby CS synchrony, in particular microzones, might also be involved in reward signaling following acquisition of complex behaviors ( 9 , 13 , 14 ).…”