Figure 4.

Task dependence of membrane potential and firing rate dynamics preceding movement onset

(A and B) Example whole-cell recordings from different MOs neurons preceding movement onset at t = 0 s (indicated by a red vertical dashed line and an arrow). Thin blue traces represent raw membrane potential, and thick traces represent low-pass filtered membrane potential after blanking action potentials. Note slower dynamics of depolarizing ramps in control animals (A) compared with trained animals (B).

(C and D) Summary of speed, membrane potential, and firing rate dynamics preceding movement onset across control animals (C, n = 11 recordings) and trained animals (D, n = 10 recordings). Data are aligned to running onset at t = 0 s (indicated by a red vertical dashed line). Top, mean animal speed. Middle, mean membrane potential (thin traces) and mean low-pass filtered membrane potential (thick traces). Bottom, thick traces represent mean spike firing rates (black) and mean of shuffled firing rates (gray, n = 100 shuffles). Shaded regions represent mean ± SEM. Ticks represent spike firing, with all running periods of a single recording shown in a single row.

Statistical significance was assessed by Spearman’s correlation (C and D). ns, not significant; ^∗p < 0.05; ^∗∗p < 0.01; ^∗∗∗p < 0.001. Statistic details are provided in Table S1. See also Figures S3, S4, and S6.