Global Representations of Goal-Directed Behavior in Distinct Cell Types of Mouse Neocortex

The successful planning and execution of adaptive behaviors in mammals may require long-range coordination of neural networks throughout cerebral cortex. The neuronal implementation of signals that could orchestrate cortex-wide activity remains unclear. Here, we develop and apply methods for cortex-wide Ca2+ imaging in mice performing decision-making behavior and identify a global cortical representation of task engagement encoded in the activity dynamics of both single cells and superficial neuropil distributed across the majority of dorsal cortex. The activity of multiple molecularly defined cell types was found to reflect this representation with type-specific dynamics. Focal optogenetic inhibition tiled across cortex revealed a crucial role for frontal cortex in triggering this cortex-wide phenomenon; local inhibition of this region blocked both the cortex-wide response to task-initiating cues and the voluntary behavior. These findings reveal cell-type-specific processes in cortex for globally representing goal-directed behavior and identify a major cortical node that gates the global broadcast of task-related information. •Large-scale two-photon and wide-field imaging across cortex during behavior•Cells and neuropil throughout cortex exhibit task-related activity•Different types of neurons exhibit specific cortex-wide activity dynamics•This cortex-wide activity pattern depends specifically on premotor cortex Allen et al. combine two-photon and wide-field imaging with transgenic GCaMP expression to survey activity in several molecularly defined cell types across the cortex of mice performing a decision-making task and discover widespread task-related activity that is gated by premotor cortex.