# The Role of Opponent Basal Ganglia Outputs in Behavior

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $390,425

## Abstract

Project Summary
Although the basal ganglia (BG) have long been implicated in action selection, the specific
circuit mechanisms remain poorly understood. According to traditional models, the role of the
inhibitory BG output is to open a gate to select a specific action via disinhibition. Recent work,
however, has questioned this model by demonstrating that BG output is far more complex than
originally assumed. By measuring continuous behavioral measures and neural activity
simultaneously, recent studies showed that there are multiple functional classes of BG output
neurons representing different vector components of actions. In particular, striatal output
neurons were shown to encode movement velocity whereas nigral output neurons represent
instantaneous position coordinates. These results suggest that BG circuits contain a neural
integrator whose output can specify detailed spatial and temporal features of actions precisely
and continuously. These results suggest a new model in which direct (striatonigral) and indirect
(striatopallidal) pathwayswork together to quantitatively shape action commands. This proposal
aims to elucidate how these pathways contribute to motivated behavior in mice. It is
hypothesized that direct and indirect pathways implement specific computational functions:
whereas direct pathway output determines the rate of change in the neural integrator output, the
indirect pathway discharges the integrator. To test this hypothesis, we will use in vivo calcium
imaging to measure neural activity in direct and indirect pathway neurons in the sensorimotor
striatum with single-neuron resolution in reward-guided behavior. We will also use optogenetic
to manipulate activity in these pathways selectively, in order to determine their causal
contributions to behavior, and to determine how dopamine may modulate their activity in freely
behaving mice. Finally, we will study functional interactions between direct and indirect
pathways via recurrent inhibition. Results from proposed experiments will have significant
implications for understanding and treating various disorders implicating the BG.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10760214
- **Project number:** 5R01NS094754-08
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Henry Yin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $390,425
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-02-01 → 2026-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10760214

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10760214, The Role of Opponent Basal Ganglia Outputs in Behavior (5R01NS094754-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10760214. Licensed CC0.

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