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Probing perceptual decisions in rodents

Nature Neuroscience volume 16, pages 824–831 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

The study of perceptual decision-making offers insight into how the brain uses complex, sometimes ambiguous information to guide actions. Understanding the underlying processes and their neural bases requires that one pair recordings and manipulations of neural activity with rigorous psychophysics. Though this research has been traditionally performed in primates, it seems increasingly promising to pursue it at least partly in mice and rats. However, rigorous psychophysical methods are not yet as developed for these rodents as they are for primates. Here we give a brief overview of the sensory capabilities of rodents and of their cortical areas devoted to sensation and decision. We then review methods of psychophysics, focusing on the technical issues that arise in their implementation in rodents. These methods represent a rich set of challenges and opportunities.

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Figure 1: Areas and connections in the mouse cortex.
Figure 2: Analyzing psychophysical data with signal detection theory.
Figure 3: Techniques for rodent psychophysics.
Figure 4: Interpreting psychometric curves.

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Acknowledgements

We thank A. Kepecs, A. Zador and L. Busse for comments. M.C.'s research is supported by the European Research Council, by the Wellcome Trust, and by the GlaxoSmithKline/Fight for Sight Chair in Visual Neuroscience. A.K.C.'s research is supported by the US National Eye Institute (grants EY022979 and EY019072), the US National Science Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the John Merck Fund, the Chapman Foundation and the Marie Robertson Memorial Fund of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

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  1. UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK

    Matteo Carandini

  2. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA

    Anne K Churchland

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Correspondence to Anne K Churchland.

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Carandini, M., Churchland, A. Probing perceptual decisions in rodents. Nat Neurosci 16, 824–831 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3410

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