Pyramidal cell types drive functionally distinct cortical activity patterns during decision-making

Distinct cortical pyramidal neuron types, defined by developmental lineage, make unique contributions to behavioral decisions. We highlight the importance of interactions among diverse cortical and subcortical areas for successful decision outcomes. Understanding how cortical circuits generate complex behavior requires investigating the cell types that comprise them. Functional differences across pyramidal neuron (PyN) types have been observed within cortical areas, but it is not known whether these local differences extend throughout the cortex, nor whether additional differences emerge when larger-scale dynamics are considered. We used genetic and retrograde labeling to target pyramidal tract, intratelencephalic and corticostriatal projection neurons and measured their cortex-wide activity. Each PyN type drove unique neural dynamics, both at the local and cortex-wide scales. Cortical activity and optogenetic inactivation during an auditory decision task revealed distinct functional roles. All PyNs in parietal cortex were recruited during perception of the auditory stimulus, but, surprisingly, pyramidal tract neurons had the largest causal role. In frontal cortex, all PyNs were required for accurate choices but showed distinct choice tuning. Our results reveal that rich, cell-type-specific cortical dynamics shape perceptual decisions.

Automated summary

Distinct cortical pyramidal neuron types have unique contributions to behavioral decisions. The interactions among diverse cortical and subcortical areas are important for successful decision outcomes. Investigating the cell types that comprise cortical circuits and their dynamics is crucial for understanding complex behavior.