These findings indicate that neurons in the SEF, pre-SMA, and SMA may proactively regulate movement initiation by adjusting the level of excitation and inhibition of the occulomotor
and skeletomotor systems based on prior performance and anticipated task requirements. This proactive activity in medial frontal cortex is particular interesting, because it could also underlie speed-accuracy tradeoffs in general 54 and 55••]. In addition to controlling the overall responsiveness across trials, the activity in medial frontal cortex could also modulate the momentary responsiveness within an individual trial. The latest decision-making models contain a rising urgency signal that slowly lowers the evidence threshold at which a choice is made 56 and 57]. Such a hypothetical signal explains human and monkey behavioral data well, but no neural correlate of the urgency signal
has been found so far. Selleck Ponatinib It seems worthwhile to test if neurons in the medial frontal cortex might be the source of the urgency signal. However, while proactive control might play a role in decision making, the same might not be true for reactive control mechanisms [58•]. Voluntary behavior requires proactive and reactive control mechanisms that ensure our ability to act independently of habitual and innate response tendencies. Electrophysiological experiments using the stop signal task in humans, monkeys, and rats have uncovered Apoptosis inhibitor a core network of brain structures that is essential for response inhibition. This network includes motor and premotor cortex, basal ganglia, and spinal interneurons. It is shared across mammals and seems to be conserved throughout their evolution. However, the exact function of the different neurons and local circuits in this larger network is still unclear. Most importantly, there is still no consensus on the neural mechanism by which motor responses are inhibited. At the same time, there is new
research directed at the interaction between inhibitory control mechanisms with other control mechanisms in the brain. This research will be important to understand how response inhibition is used and controlled itself to achieve the overall goals of an agent in its day-to-day behavior. N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase Making progress will require further investigations using the stop signal paradigm. Experiments in behaving monkeys will likely stay at the core of this enterprise. Monkeys have exceptional behavioral flexibility, which makes them ideal models to study complex control processes. They are also the closed model of human behavior and physiology that is available. At the same time, new rodent animal models will allow to investigate and manipulate neural circuits in unprecedented detail. The future is bright for this exiting field of neuroscience. The author thanks E.E. Emeric for helpful comments to this review. This work was supported by the National Eye Institute through grant R01-EY019039 to VS.