What is it about?
Prefrontal brain circuits send distinct, opposing signals that together allow animals to sense the passage of time and control when to act, revealing that the brain’s timing ability comes from the diversity of its prefrontal projections rather than a single “clock.”
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Why is it important?
This work is important because it helps understand how the brain tells time. Timing is mission-critical if you are a mouse finding food or evading predators; and human survival depends on accurate timing to cook, drive, or cross the street. Because timing is affected by brain diseases such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and dementia, understanding the brain basis of timing will lead to new markers and treatments.
Perspectives
We were incredibly surprised to find two different patterns of activity that work together to tell time. We had seen these patterns over the last several years, but we were able to link these patterns to specific circuits, which is exciting and goes to show that our brains are more complex and more elegant than we could imagine.
Nandakumar Narayanan
University of Iowa
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Distinct activity in prefrontal projections promotes temporal control of action, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, May 2026, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2538059123.
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