Abstract
To support an understanding of neural basis of time perception, we attempted a duration discrimination task, and recorded single-unit activity from the striatum in the monkey. In front of a Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata), two visual cues (C1 and C2; a blue or red-colored square for each) were successively displayed for different duration from each other. Each cue (C1 or C2) was followed by a delay period (D1 or D2, respectively). Longer and shorter cues were presented in random order, and the subject was required to choose the longer-presented colored cue. The greater probability of correct response was associated with a decrease in short cue duration. We found striatal neurons that showed significantly phasic activity in D1 or D2 after shorter cue, and those that showed increasing responses during C2 in C2-longer trials. The results suggest that striatum neurons closely relate to the monitoring and/or judgement in the duration discrimination. [Jpn J Physiol 55 Suppl:S181 (2005)]
