ABSTRACT
Despite recent works have investigated functional and effective cortical networks in animal models, the dynamical information transfer among functional modules underneath cognitive control is still largely unknown. Here, we addressed the issue using Transfer Entropy and graph theory methods on neural activities recorded from a multielectrode array in the dorsal premotor cortex of rhesus monkeys. We focused our analysis on the decision time of a Stop-signal (countermanding) task. When comparing trials with successful inhibition to those with generated movement the local network resulted organized in four classes of modules hierarchically arranged and differently partaking in information transfer. Interestingly, the hierarchical organization of modules changed during the task, being different for generated movements and cancelled ones. Our results suggest that motor decisions are based on a topological re-organization of the premotor functional network.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Typos corrected and Figures updated
1 For the complete description of the embedding methods and estimators for computation of H, which is beyond the scope of this study, see the works of Faes and colleagues82, 84, 85 and references therein.
2 96×96 for all recording sessions for Monkey P; for some recording sessions of Monkey C damaged channels were removed from the analysis and therefore a 79×79 matrix was obtained.