It has been super fun to work on this, where we learned that:
1) Mouse PFC is needed for model-based override of habits.
2) Separate PFC populations encode a 'policy' and the current 'value'.
3) The policy and value codes alternate theta sweeps towards the goal.
...and much much more!
Structured and flexible representations in medial-frontal cortex support goal-directed navigation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.09.729603v1
How do brains plan actions towards goals?
To get at this question we studied mice navigating complex mazes as goals changed on every trial 🧵
Work with @thomasakam.bsky.social @behrenstimb.bsky.social @kristorpjensen.bsky.social now on BioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
This is one of the coolest things I have been involved with. Truly flexible navigation in mice. Real insight into how mPFC computes the plans. Great fun to see what PFC is doing with those hippocampal theta sweeps. From the awesome @peterdoohan.bsky.social and (now on bsky) @thomasakam.bsky.social