Revolutionary Study Reveals the Secret Blueprint of Neuron-Driven Natural Behaviors

A span of eight years of research. A partnership between the Laboratory of Neuroethology of Non-Human Primates at the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Parma, overseen by Luca Bonini, alongside a group from the Biorobotics Institute at the Sant’Anna School of Pisa, led by Alberto Mazzoni, the principal investigator at the Computational Neuroengineering Lab, with contributions from Silvestro Micera, a professor in Bioengineering.

Backing from three initiatives funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and several Italian national projects, such as MNESYS and BRIEF. These represent just a few components of a groundbreaking investigation published in Science which uncovers novel mechanisms by which the brain regulates natural behaviors. The findings contest some traditional beliefs regarding the functioning of the motor system and unlock potential new applications in neurorehabilitation and robotics.

By utilizing advanced telemetric devices, the researchers captured the activity of hundreds of neurons in the motor regions of monkeys’ brains, who were entirely free to demonstrate spontaneous behaviors like walking, climbing, or yawning. This represented a significant progression relative to past research, as existing technologies had compelled scientists to observe stationary brains during learned and repetitive actions. The fresh methodology, conversely, allows for an understanding of how the brain orchestrates spontaneous movements in authentic contexts.

“Our brains are in constant motion – clarifies Luca Bonini, the project’s lead – and this innovative approach has shifted the traditional notion that particular brain regions, or even individual neurons, dictate specific actions – such as biting, drinking, or grasping. Our findings suggest that, similarly to how individual piano keys can create various melodies, the neurons in the motor areas of our brain produce intricate synergies, enabling us to coordinate the range of spontaneous actions we can perform, some of which previously were almost unobservable in a laboratory setting.“

The collaboration with bioengineers from the Sant’Anna School in Pisa facilitated the decoding of this neural activity’s complexity and allowed for the prediction of the spontaneous actions the animals were poised to execute using only the signals produced by the neurons.

“Our findings – remarks Alberto Mazzoni – indicate that the neuronal activity observed during spontaneous behavior is far more telling than what is acquired in conventional laboratory settings. This understanding enables us to see how the brain governs the execution of voluntary actions differently based on the context.”

The notable neurological and behavioral similarities with humans imply that these findings could hold significant clinical relevance.

“The discoveries made through this interdisciplinary collaboration pave the way for new and crucial translational possibilities for neurotechnology and neurorehabilitation – adds Silvestro Micera – Moreover, this effort further illustrates the remarkable influence that the Next Generation EU initiatives have exerted on Italian research. We aspire to maintain these partnerships through new funding endeavors supported by our nation.”

“We hope – conclude Francesca Lanzarini, Monica Maranesi, Elena Hilary Rondoni, and Davide Albertini, co-first authors of the article – that our approach can aid the transition from classical neurophysiology to neuroethology in various studies regarding the connection between brain and behavior, enhancing the welfare of animals even during experiments and, in turn, the credibility of outcomes from neuroscientific studies on non-human primates, which, as illustrated by this work, remain essential and irreplaceable.”