Interval timing

…converge and is necessary for learning interval timing and relating durations in distinct temporal contexts[1]. “Time cells” in the medial subdivision of the EC (MEC) tile task durations during a temporal variant of the Delay Non-match to Sample (tDNMS) task in which animals must detect non-matching durations. Over training, subpopulations of MEC time cells become context-dependent showing differential activity across different trial types. While attractor models of EC activity predict experi

Humans keep track of temporal intervals for different goals, from explicitly reporting perceived magnitudes to implicitly orienting attention in time. Whether overlapping or segregated timing mechanisms subserve these timing processes is a key neuroscientific question. Neuroimaging studies revealed goal-dependent functional dissociations, mostly at the cortical level. However, recent behavioral work hints to computational overlap. Moreover, separate lines of research have implicated the cerebellum in both explicit and implicit interval timing, but whether this reflects one shared or two contex

One of the key feature of the cerebellar computation is its abilities to predict the sensory consequences of motor commands through the cerebro-cerebello-cortical loop. Prediction capabilities of the cerebellum extend to non-motor functions as attested by an extensive bidirectional connectivity between the cerebellum and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We hypothesize that the cerebellum make predictions based on contextual and goal-directed information enabling better integration in the PFC and an overall increase efficiency in time related actions.Our aim is to understand better the comm

…violation of semantic rules influences interval timing with the duration of scenes containing such violations to be overestimated as compared to scenes with no violations. However, no study has yet investigated whether both semantic and syntactic violations can affect timing in the same way. Furthermore, it is unclear whether the effect of s

…investigate the neural substrates of interval timing has focused largely on relatively simple timing tasks whereby subjects learn to discriminate and reproduce the duration of events occurring at a single fixed interval. Although episodic memory requires accurate temporal coding and is mediated by structures in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), including the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), a well-established role for MTL circuits in interval timing behavior is conspicuously lacking. MEC seems well-suit

Time represents a fundamental dimension around which all behaviors must be organized. Previous work has shown that dorsal striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) encode prospective time via ‘ramping’, progressive linear increases or decreases in firing rate preceding a time at which an animal must act (Emmons et al., 2017; Matell et al., 2003). Furthermore, disruptions to dopamine signaling attenuate this pattern of activity and can bidirectionally modulate performance of timed behaviors (Parker et al., 2015; Soares et al., 2016). Dopamine binds to both D1- and D2-MSNs which play orthogonal role

Animals can discriminate time intervals ranging from microseconds to days, which serves to regulate functions as diverse as sound localization to circadian rhythmicity (Mauk and Buonomano, 2004; Buhusi and Meck, 2005). While the mechanisms that enable temporal processing at the microsecond and day scales are relatively well understood (Jeffress, 1948; Rosbash and Hall, 1989), those that enable animals to discriminate time in the behaviorally relevant seconds to minutes scale are not clear. It is believed that there might be at least two distinct interval timing mechanisms, one involving the ce

To survive in a rapidly dynamic world, the brain predicts the future state of the world and proactively adjusts perception, attention and action. A key to efficient interaction is to predict and prepare to not only “where” and “what” things will happen, but also to “when”. I will present studies in healthy and neurological populations that investigated the cognitive architecture and neural basis of temporal anticipation. First, influential ‘entrainment’ models suggest that anticipation in rhythmic contexts, e.g. music or biological motion, uniquely relies on alignment of attentional oscillatio

Interpretation of interval timing data generated from animal models is complicated by ostensible motivational effects which arise from the delay-to-reward imposed by interval timing tasks, as well as overlap between timed and non-timed responses. These factors become increasingly prevalent at longer intervals. To address these concerns, two adjustments to long interval timing tasks are proposed. First, subjects should be afforded with reinforced non-timing behaviors concurrent with timing. Second, subjects should initiate the onset of timed stimuli. Under these conditions, interference by extr

Over 60 years of research has established that medial temporal lobe structures, including the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, are necessary for the formation of episodic memories (i.e. memories of specific personal events that occur in spatial and temporal context). While prior work to establish the neural mechanisms underlying episodic memory has largely focused on questions related spatial context, recently we have begun to investigate how these brain structures could be involved in encoding aspects of temporal context. In particular, we have focused on how medial entorhinal cortex, a str

Medium-spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum are required for interval timing, or the estimation of the time over several seconds via a motor response. We and others have shown that striatal MSNs can encode the duration of temporal intervals via time-dependent ramping activity, progressive monotonic changes in firing rate preceding behaviorally salient points in time. Here, we investigated how timing-related activity within striatal ensembles changes with experience. We leveraged a rodent-optimized interval timing task in which mice ‘switch’ response ports after an amount of time has passed

Interval timing is a fundamental component action, and is susceptible to motor-related temporal distortions. Previous studies have shown that movement biases temporal estimates, but have primarily considered self-modulated movement only. However, real-world encounters often include situations in which movement is restricted or perturbed by environmental factors. In the following experiments, we introduced viscous movement environments to externally modulate movement and investigated the resulting effects on temporal perception. In two separate tasks, participants timed auditory intervals while