Cerebellar neurodynamics during motor planning predict decision timing and outcome on single-trial level

Abstract

The neuronal basis of goal-directed behavior requires interaction of multiple separated brain regions. How subcortical regions and their interactions with brain-wide activity are involved in action selection is less understood. We have investigated this question by developing an assay based on whole-brain volumetric calcium imaging using light-field microscopy combined with an operant-conditioning task in larval zebrafish. We find global and recurring dynamics of brain states to exhibit pre-motor bifurcations towards mutually exclusive decision outcomes which arises from a spatially distributed network. Within this network the cerebellum shows a particularly strong pre-motor activity, predictive of both the timing and outcome of behavior up to [~]10 seconds before movement initiation. Furthermore, on the single-trial level, decision directions can be inferred from the difference neuroactivity between the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres, while the decision time can be quantitatively predicted by the rate of bi-hemispheric population ramping activity. Our results point towards a cognitive role of the cerebellum and its importance in motor planning.