Wednesday, February 18, 2026 2/18/2026

Neural Circuit Dynamics Underlying Perceptual Decision Making in the Macaque Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Award Number: F31NS131018
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Neural Circuit Dynamics Underlying Perceptual Decision Making in the Macaque Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The objective of the proposed research is to 1) understand if activity of various cell types in DLPFC is consistent with computational models of decision-making, and 2) investigate if there is a functional hierarchy in macaque monkey dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during decision-making. Decision-making is our ability to choose and perform appropriate actions based on sensory cues and context to achieve behavioral goals. DLPFC is a key decision-making brain region which receives inputs from higher-order sensory areas and sends outputs to premotor cortices. DLPFC is also implicated in disorders of decision-making such as schizophrenia but currently, it is unknown how circuit-level disruptions in this disorder result in its perturbed function. Specifically, we do not understand 1) how different cell types in DLPFC mechanistically enable decision-making and 2) the spatial organization of function in this area. We address these questions by combining in vivo neurophysiology with computational modeling in DLPFC of monkeys performing our novel red-green reaction time checkerboard discrimination tasks. Our first aim tests three emerging hypotheses of the role of cell types during decision- making: 1) are inhibitory cells choice-selective or -nonselective during decision-making? 2) Do inhibitory neurons exhibit contra-specific rather than ipsi-specific connectivity? 3) Do either somatostatin- (SST+) or parvalbumin- positive (PV+) support decision-making through choice-selectivity? In this first aim, we will first build several cell- type specific computational models of decision-making to establish predictions of neural dynamics during the task. We will then use laminar multi-contact electrodes to record single neurons from DLPFC of monkeys performing our novel red-green reaction time checkerboard discrimination task. With these recorded responses, we will adjudicate between the models. Finally, we will examine each unit’s electrophysiological properties (waveform shape and firing rate patterns) with our recently developed and validated approach that allows us to delineate putative cell types (PhysMAP). With these identified populations, we will test predictions made by our cell type-specific mean-field models of decision-making. In our second aim, we will test three competing theories this time regarding the nature of functional gradients in DLPFC: 1) the “modular hypothesis” that different areas are qualitatively distinct in their representations; 2) the “gradient hypothesis” that different areas contain the same information which differs quantitatively in the “amount”; or 3) the “hierarchical hypothesis” that “upstream” areas contain all decision variables whereas downstream” areas only contain action-oriented variables. We will record from DLPFC across several anatomical axes during two variants of the checkerboard task. We will then use decoding and population analysis approaches like demixed principal component analysis to understand the task representations of DLPFC at each location. Impact: This project will elucidate the in vivo spatio-temporal and microcircuit dynamics in a clinically relevant brain area. Such data is a prerequisite for future development of circuit-level therapeutics for mental illness and brain machine interfaces for recovery following brain injury.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $36,882 )
2025	2025	TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY	1 SILBER WAY	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	2	7/21/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$517
2025	2025	TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY	1 SILBER WAY	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	12/11/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$36,365
														Subtotal = $36,882

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $38,442 )
2024	2024	TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY	1 SILBER WAY	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	002	1	5/7/2024	NEW	$1,280
2024	2024	TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY	1 SILBER WAY	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	11/22/2023	NEW	$37,162
2024	2024	TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY	1 SILBER WAY	BOSTON	MA	02215	SUFFOLK	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	1	11/22/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $38,442

Grand Total All Awards = $75,324

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Neural Circuit Dynamics Underlying Perceptual Decision Making in the Macaque Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Award Number: F31NS131018

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer