Decoding spatial locations from primate lateral prefrontal cortex neural activity during virtual navigation.

Abstract

<i>Objective</i>. Decoding the intended trajectories from brain signals using a brain-computer interface system could be used to improve the mobility of patients with disabilities.<i>Approach</i>. Neuronal activity associated with spatial locations was examined while macaques performed a navigation task within a virtual environment.<i>Main results.</i>Here, we provide proof of principle that multi-unit spiking activity recorded from the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) of non-human primates can be used to predict the location of a subject in a virtual maze during a navigation task. The spatial positions within the maze that require a choice or are associated with relevant task events can be better predicted than the locations where no relevant events occur. Importantly, within a task epoch of a single trial, multiple locations along the maze can be independently identified using a support vector machine model.<i>Significance</i>. Considering that the LPFC of macaques and humans share similar properties, our results suggest that this area could be a valuable implant location for an intracortical brain-computer interface system used for spatial navigation in patients with disabilities.