Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA; email:
Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Annu Rev Neurosci. 2020 Jul 8;43:73-93. doi: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-101419-011117. Epub 2020 Jan 21.
Interval timing, which operates on timescales of seconds to minutes, is distributed across multiple brain regions and may use distinct circuit mechanisms as compared to millisecond timing and circadian rhythms. However, its study has proven difficult, as timing on this scale is deeply entangled with other behaviors. Several circuit and cellular mechanisms could generate sequential or ramping activity patterns that carry timing information. Here we propose that a productive approach is to draw parallels between interval timing and spatial navigation, where direct analogies can be made between the variables of interest and the mathematical operations necessitated. Along with designing experiments that isolate or disambiguate timing behavior from other variables, new techniques will facilitate studies that directly address the neural mechanisms that are responsible for interval timing.
区间定时，其作用时间尺度为秒到分钟，分布在多个大脑区域，并且可能使用与毫秒定时和昼夜节律不同的电路机制。然而，其研究证明具有挑战性，因为这种规模的定时与其他行为深度交织。几个电路和细胞机制可以产生携带定时信息的顺序或递增活动模式。在这里，我们提出一种富有成效的方法，即将区间定时与空间导航进行类比，在这两种情况下，可以对感兴趣的变量和所需的数学运算进行直接类比。除了设计实验来隔离或消除定时行为与其他变量之外，新技术将促进直接研究负责区间定时的神经机制。
