Utilizing the Cortico-Striatal Projectome to Advance the Study of Timing and Time Perception

Abstract

Over the past decade advances in tracing and imaging techniques have spurred the development of increasingly detailed maps of brain connectivity. Broadly termed ‘connectomes’, these maps provide a powerful tool for systems neuroscience. As with most ‘maps’, connectomes offer a static spatial description of the brain’s circuits, whereas timing and temporal processing are inherently dynamic processes; nevertheless, the timing field stands to be a major beneficiary of these large-scale mapping projects. The recently reported ‘projectome’ of mouse cortico-striatal sub-networks is of particular interest because theoretical developments such as the striatal beat-frequency model emphasize the role of the striatum in temporal processing. The cortico-striatal projectome confirms that the dorsal striatum is ideally situated to sample patterns of activity throughout most of the cortex, but that it also contains a level of modularity previously not considered by integrative models of interval timing. Furthermore, the striatal projectome will allow for targeted studies of whether specific subdivisions of the dorsal striatum are differentially involved in timing and time perception as a function of task, stimulus modality, intensity, and valence.