Neuronal decision-making with realistic spiking models

Abstract

The neuronal processes underlying perceptual decision-making have been the focus of numerous studies over the past two decades. In the current standard model [1][2][3] the output of noisy sensory neurons is pooled and integrated by decision neurons. Once the activity of the decision neurons reaches a threshold, the corresponding choice is made. This bottom-up model was recently challenged based on the empirical finding that the time courses of psychophysical kernel (PK) and choice probability (CP) qualitatively differ from each other [4]. It was concluded that the decision-related activity in sensory neurons, at least in part, reflects the decision through a top-down signal, rather than contribute to the decision causally. However, the prediction of the standard bottom-up model about the relationship between the time courses of PKs and CPs crucially depends on the underlying noise model. Our study explores the …