Centering cognitive neuroscience on task demands and generalization

Mice are among the most prevalent animal models in neuroscience, leveraging the extensive physiological, imaging and genetic tools available for studying their brain. However, the development of new behavioral paradigms for mice has been laborious and inconsistent, impeding the investigation of complex cognition. Here, we present a home-cage assisted mouse behavioral innovation and testing system (HABITS), enables free-moving mice learn challenging cognitive behaviors in their home-cage without any human involvement. Supported by the microcontroller-based general programming framework, we have not only replicated established paradigms in current neuroscience research but also developed several novel paradigms previously unexplored in mice, resulting in more than 300 mice tested in various cognition functions. Through a machine-teaching approach, HABITS can comprehensively optimize the presentation of stimuli and modalities for trials, leading to more efficient training and higher-quality behavioral outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first instance where mouse behavior has been systematically optimized by an algorithmic approach. Our results open a new approach for mouse behavior and demonstrate the novel and optimized cognitions to be investigated at the neural level.

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Neural and behavioral reinstatement jointly reflect retrieval of narrative events

Nau,

Greene,

Tarder-Stoll

et al. 2024

Preprint

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When recalling past events, patterns of gaze position and neural activity resemble those observed during the original experience. We hypothesized that these two phenomena, known as gaze reinstatement and neural reactivation, are linked through a common process that underlies the reinstatement of past experiences during memory retrieval. Here, we tested this proposal based on the viewing and recall of a narrative movie, which we assessed through fMRI, deep learning-based gaze prediction, and language modeling of spoken recall. In line with key predictions, gaze behavior adhered to the same principles as neural activity; it was event-specific, robust across individuals, and generalized across viewing and recall. Additionally, gaze-dependent brain activity overlapped substantially across tasks. Collectively, these results suggest that retrieval engages mechanisms that direct our eyes during natural vision, reflecting common constraints within the functional organization of the nervous system. Moreover, they highlight the importance of considering behavioral and neural reinstatement together in our understanding of remembering.

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Centering cognitive neuroscience on task demands and generalization

Cited by 4 publications

References 99 publications

From tasks to models of visual mental imagery: Comment on “Visual mental imagery: Evidence for a heterarchical neural architecture” by Spagna et al.

From tasks to models of visual mental imagery: Comment on “Visual mental imagery: Evidence for a heterarchical neural architecture” by Spagna et al.

Novel and optimized mouse behavior enabled by fully autonomous HABITS: Home-cage Assisted Behavioral Innovation and Testing System

Neural and behavioral reinstatement jointly reflect retrieval of narrative events

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