Decision dynamics in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic networks
Collaborators: Tim Verstynen, Eric Yttri (Carnegie Mellon U.), Cati Vich (U. de les Illes Balears), Jyotika Bahuguna (U. Strasbourg)
Current trainees: Zhuojun Yu (CMU), Cristina Giossi & Alex G. O'Hare (UIB), Kayla Kraeuter (Pitt)
Overarching questions: How do the basal ganglia interact with cortical and thalamic neurons to influence our decision-making, action selection, and movements? How do we learn from rewards and reward omissions?
Some active projects:
(1) Mathematical modeling and analysis of dopamine signals and dopamine-dependent cortico-striatal plasticity.
(2) Understanding learning of action timing and responses to stop signals.
(3) Determining how moment-to-moment changes in basal ganglia activity impact decision outcomes, and how this relationship evolves with learning.
(4) Developing a firing rate version of our spiking cortico- basal ganglia-thalamic model.
Some active projects:
(1) Mathematical modeling and analysis of dopamine signals and dopamine-dependent cortico-striatal plasticity.
(2) Understanding learning of action timing and responses to stop signals.
(3) Determining how moment-to-moment changes in basal ganglia activity impact decision outcomes, and how this relationship evolves with learning.
(4) Developing a firing rate version of our spiking cortico- basal ganglia-thalamic model.
Some recent publications (grad students in bold font):
(1) B. Sosis and J.E. Rubin, “Calculation of expected reward rate in a two-alternative decision process”, SIAM. J. Appl. Math., 85(2), 433-455, 2025 (Erratum: SIAM J. Appl. Math. 85 (3), 1314-1314, 2025)
(2) M. Clapp, J. Bahuguna, C. Giossi, J.E. Rubin, T. Verstynen, C. Vich, “CBTPy: An extensible cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic framework for modeling biological decision making”, PLoS One, 20(1), e0310367, 2025
(3) C. Giossi, J. Bahuguna, J.E. Rubin, T. Verstynen, C. Vich, “Arkypallidal neurons in the external globus pallidus can mediate inhibitory control by altering competition in the striatum”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 121(47)e2408505121, 2024
(1) B. Sosis and J.E. Rubin, “Calculation of expected reward rate in a two-alternative decision process”, SIAM. J. Appl. Math., 85(2), 433-455, 2025 (Erratum: SIAM J. Appl. Math. 85 (3), 1314-1314, 2025)
(2) M. Clapp, J. Bahuguna, C. Giossi, J.E. Rubin, T. Verstynen, C. Vich, “CBTPy: An extensible cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic framework for modeling biological decision making”, PLoS One, 20(1), e0310367, 2025
(3) C. Giossi, J. Bahuguna, J.E. Rubin, T. Verstynen, C. Vich, “Arkypallidal neurons in the external globus pallidus can mediate inhibitory control by altering competition in the striatum”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 121(47)e2408505121, 2024