Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior
Naturalistic animal behavior exhibits a strikingly complex organization in the temporal domain, with variability arising from at least three sources: hierarchical, contextual, and stochastic. What neural mechanisms and computational principles underlie such intricate temporal features? In this revie...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2022-07-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/76577 |
| _version_ | 1811203647808208896 |
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| author | Luca Mazzucato |
| author_facet | Luca Mazzucato |
| author_sort | Luca Mazzucato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Naturalistic animal behavior exhibits a strikingly complex organization in the temporal domain, with variability arising from at least three sources: hierarchical, contextual, and stochastic. What neural mechanisms and computational principles underlie such intricate temporal features? In this review, we provide a critical assessment of the existing behavioral and neurophysiological evidence for these sources of temporal variability in naturalistic behavior. Recent research converges on an emergent mechanistic theory of temporal variability based on attractor neural networks and metastable dynamics, arising via coordinated interactions between mesoscopic neural circuits. We highlight the crucial role played by structural heterogeneities as well as noise from mesoscopic feedback loops in regulating flexible behavior. We assess the shortcomings and missing links in the current theoretical and experimental literature and propose new directions of investigation to fill these gaps. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:58:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a182148f90d74aca9f2090a2b4601ad7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:58:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-a182148f90d74aca9f2090a2b4601ad72022-12-22T03:50:43ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2022-07-011110.7554/eLife.76577Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behaviorLuca Mazzucato0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8525-7539Institute of Neuroscience, Departments of Biology, Mathematics and Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesNaturalistic animal behavior exhibits a strikingly complex organization in the temporal domain, with variability arising from at least three sources: hierarchical, contextual, and stochastic. What neural mechanisms and computational principles underlie such intricate temporal features? In this review, we provide a critical assessment of the existing behavioral and neurophysiological evidence for these sources of temporal variability in naturalistic behavior. Recent research converges on an emergent mechanistic theory of temporal variability based on attractor neural networks and metastable dynamics, arising via coordinated interactions between mesoscopic neural circuits. We highlight the crucial role played by structural heterogeneities as well as noise from mesoscopic feedback loops in regulating flexible behavior. We assess the shortcomings and missing links in the current theoretical and experimental literature and propose new directions of investigation to fill these gaps.https://elifesciences.org/articles/76577naturalistic behaviorcontextual modulationneural variabilityattractor neural networks |
| spellingShingle | Luca Mazzucato Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior eLife naturalistic behavior contextual modulation neural variability attractor neural networks |
| title | Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior |
| title_full | Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior |
| title_fullStr | Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior |
| title_short | Neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior |
| title_sort | neural mechanisms underlying the temporal organization of naturalistic animal behavior |
| topic | naturalistic behavior contextual modulation neural variability attractor neural networks |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/76577 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lucamazzucato neuralmechanismsunderlyingthetemporalorganizationofnaturalisticanimalbehavior |