This article examines the relationship between neural connectivity and activity in the mouse anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM) during naturalistic, goal-directed tongue reaching for water rewards. Using all-optical methods that combine volumetric calcium imaging with two-photon optogenetic stimulation, the researchers map causal excitatory connections between thousands of layer 2/3 neurons. The study finds that ALM neurons are tuned to target location and reward outcome, and that connectivity exhibits a multi-scale columnar architecture with local, like-to-like excitation and longer-range inhibition. Crucially, the analysis reveals a network structure featuring rare, highly connected "hub neurons" that are weakly tuned to task features but significantly influence local network activity, suggesting a role in rapidly shaping neural circuits for complex behaviors.

References:

• Finkelstein A, Daie K, Rózsa M, et al. Connectivity underlying motor cortex activity during goal-directed behaviour[J]. Nature, 2025: 1-7.