霍华德休斯医学院Karel Svoboda研究小组取得一项新突破。他们提出了目标导向行为中运动皮层活动的连通性。相关论文于2025年11月19日发表于国际顶尖学术期刊《自然》杂志上。

在这里，该团队研究了运动皮层的神经活动，当老鼠以多向伸舌获得奖励时。这种行为不需要训练，允许他们在活动被扩展学习塑造之前探测神经编码和连接。运动皮层神经元被调谐到目标位置和奖励结果，并且通常在运动期间和之后做出反应。研究组利用全光学方法估计了基底神经连接，研究了体内潜在的网络相互作用。在运动皮层2/3层中，超过2000万个兴奋性神经元对之间的连接映射显示出多尺度柱状结构。神经元显示局部(小于100μm)的兴奋性连接，以及在更长的空间尺度上的抑制作用。连接模式是一个连续体，有大量的稀疏连接的神经元和罕见的密集连接的神经元作为网络枢纽。中枢神经元对目标位置和奖励结果的调节较弱，但对邻近神经元的影响较大。这个神经元网络，编码不同运动目标的运动位置和结果，可能是快速学习复杂目标导向行为的一般基础。

据介绍，信息的神经表征是由远程输入和局部网络相互作用形成的。先前将神经编码和皮层连通性联系起来的研究主要集中在感觉皮层的输入驱动活动上。

附：英文原文

Title: Connectivity underlying motor cortex activity during goal-directed behaviour

Author: Finkelstein, Arseny, Daie, Kayvon, Rzsa, Mrton, Darshan, Ran, Svoboda, Karel

Issue&Volume: 2025-11-19

Abstract: Neural representations of information are shaped by long-range input and local network interactions. Previous studies linking neural coding and cortical connectivity have focused on input-driven activity in the sensory cortex1,2,3. Here we studied neural activity in the motor cortex while mice gathered rewards with multidirectional tongue reaching. This behaviour does not require training, allowing us to probe neural coding and connectivity before activity is shaped by extended learning. Motor cortex neurons were tuned to target location and reward outcome, and typically responded during and after movements. We studied the underlying network interactions in vivo by estimating causal neural connections using an all-optical method3,4,5,6. Mapping connectivity between more than 20,000,000 excitatory neuron pairs showed a multi-scale columnar architecture in layer 2/3 of the motor cortex. Neurons displayed local (less than 100μm) like-to-like excitatory connectivity according to target-location tuning, and inhibition over longer spatial scales. Connectivity patterns comprised a continuum, with abundant sparsely connected neurons and rare densely connected neurons that function as network hubs. Hub neurons were weakly tuned to target location and reward outcome but influenced more neighbouring neurons. This network of neurons, encoding location and outcome of movements to different motor goals, may be a general substrate for rapid learning of complex, goal-directed behaviours.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09758-6

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09758-6