Topic: whisker-based detection task

Animals exhibit flexible and adaptive behavior in novel situations, in part relying on reward-based learning. Although the reinforcement of positive outcomes plays a central role in shaping behavior, the neural circuit mechanisms of goal-directed sensorimotor transformation remain incompletely understood. Common behavioral paradigms for studying such mechanisms are hindered by the prolonged training period needed to reach expert performance, impeding the real-time observation of plastic changes. Here, we developed a rapid whisker-based detection task where thirsty mice learn to associate a nov