Distinct contributions and sensorimotor encoding of PV and FoxP2 neurons in the external globus pallidus during perceptual decision-making

The external globus pallidus (GPe), a central nucleus of the basal ganglia (BG), comprises diverse cell types, including PV and FoxP2 neurons. While previous studies have delineated their distinct roles in movement regulation and sensory processing, their contributions to perceptual decision-making remain unclear. Here we investigated the sensorimotor functions of PV and FoxP2 neurons in mice performing a Go/No-Go visual task. Optogenetic activation of either population impaired task performance, whereas only inhibition of PV, but not FoxP2 neurons, disrupted behavior. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that PV and FoxP2 neurons exhibited distinct encoding of visual stimuli, licking movement, and trial outcomes. Moreover, inhibiting GPe PV neurons altered stimulus and outcome selectivity, as well as task-related activity, in the substantia nigra pars reticulata, a major output nucleus of the BG. These findings reveal that GPe PV and FoxP2 neurons uniquely regulate the flow of sensorimotor information within the BG during perceptual decision-making.