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Journal article

Transient photocurrents in a subthreshold evidence accumulator accelerate perceptual decisions

Abstract:

Perceptual decisions are complete when a continuously updated score of sensory evidence reaches a threshold. In Drosophila, αβ core Kenyon cells (αβc KCs) of the mushroom bodies integrate odor-evoked synaptic inputs to spike threshold at rates that parallel the speed of olfactory choices. Here we perform a causal test of the idea that the biophysical process of synaptic integration underlies the psychophysical process of bounded evidence accumulation in this system. Injections of single brief, EPSP-like depolarizations into the dendrites of αβc KCs during odor discrimination, using closed-loop control of a targeted opsin, accelerate decision times at a marginal cost of accuracy. Model comparisons favor a mechanism of temporal integration over extrema detection and suggest that the optogenetically evoked quanta are added to a growing total of sensory evidence, effectively lowering the decision bound. The subthreshold voltage dynamics of αβc KCs thus form an accumulator memory for sequential samples of information.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41467-023-38487-5

Authors

More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Physiology Anatomy and Genetics
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0009-0004-9707-2816
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Physiology Anatomy and Genetics
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0009-0002-9820-3342
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Physiology Anatomy & Genetics
Oxford college:
Magdalen College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-2940-3228


More from this funder
Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/029chgv08
Grant:
106988/Z/15/Z
090309/Z/09/Z
209235/Z/17/Z
More from this funder
Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/0290hax27


Publisher:
Springer Nature
Journal:
Nature Communications More from this journal
Volume:
14
Issue:
1
Article number:
2770
Publication date:
2023-05-13
Acceptance date:
2023-05-04
DOI:
EISSN:
2041-1723
Pmid:
37179392


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1345670
Local pid:
pubs:1345670
Deposit date:
2025-03-25
ARK identifier:

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