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You are cordially invited to the lecture

Arthur Leblois
CNRS, IMN
Bordeaux, France

on the topic of  

Circuit Mechanisms of Sensorimotor Learning in the Cortico-Basal Ganglia-Thalamocortical Network


The lecture will be held on Zoom on October 28, 2026 at 11:00 am ET     

Please pay attention to the time change! Europe has switched to winter time whereas the United States will switch on November 1.

As a result, the seminar will begin at 11:00 a.m. EDT, which corresponds to 4:00 p.m. CET, rather than the usual 5:00 p.m. in Europe. 

Abstract:  The basal ganglia (BG) are essential for learning and adapting movements, yet their output is often unnecessary for executing well-learned actions. This paradox challenges existing models of BG function. I will present a biologically grounded model of the cortico-BG-thalamocortical loop, showing how this closed-loop network supports efficient motor adaptation and early movement acquisition. In our model, dopamine-driven plasticity, recurrent cortical dynamics, and feedback from the BG together shape motor output, even when BG output is not directly required for execution. This work provides a unified framework explaining how the BG-cortical circuit contributes to both learning and refinement of goal-directed actions. One important assumption of the model is that parallel feedback loops in the BG-cortical circuits form functional channels driving specific motor output, and I will show recent analysis of neuronal activity in the song-related circuit of zebra finch supporting this assumption.